


from dusk till dawn

by simplyverstappen



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twilight, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blowjobs, Crack, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, I have no idea what I'm doing, M/M, Minor Character Death, Vampires, found family trope, the twilight au no one asked for, yes Lando has more brain cells than Bella
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 103,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24857179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplyverstappen/pseuds/simplyverstappen
Summary: About three things, he is absolutely positive.First, Charles is a vampire.Second, there is a part of him - and Lando doesn’t know how dominant that part might be - that thirsts for his blood.And third, he’s unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
Relationships: Charles Leclerc/Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen/Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton/Nico Rosberg
Comments: 478
Kudos: 363





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pericardiaca](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pericardiaca/gifts).



> It’s 2020. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. I wrote a 100k twilight au. 
> 
> It actually started with Sam (shellhaeds/Pericardiaca) and me watching Twilight in March during quarantine and I joked ‘haha what if I wrote a twilight au with Maxiel and Lando is Bella’ and Sam said ‘Brocedes as Carlisle and Esme’ and it was actually planned as a One-Shot and then this happened because I have absolutely no self-control sksksk
> 
> Gifting this to Sam because she deserves it - thank you so so much for watching all five movies with me and for being so incredibly supportive and patient! 💛
> 
> I started plot planning, procrastinated a bit and then I wrote the whole fic (roughly 100k) in just two weeks in June lmao 
> 
> **A few basic facts:**  
>  \- the fic is completely finished  
> \- I’m gonna upload consistently every 2-3 days  
> \- the wolves won’t play much of a part, the main focus is on the vampires (and I don’t have 3 more books to develop them properly)  
> \- don’t expect too much from Carlos  
> \- I worked with the original book, the script and the movie (it was a nightmare) and I tried staying loosely close to the plot but I also changed things. If something is different to canon, believe me, _I know_. It’s intentional  
> \- yes, Lando has more brain cells than Bella  
> \- and yes, sometimes it’s just crack  
> \- I know that they are all a bit too old for sixth-form but I wanted to have them all being of legal age so we ignore the inaccuracy lmao  
> \- some lines are copied/stolen from Smeyer and I don’t take credit for those but they were just too iconic to leave out  
> \- I’m aware that there are many different casting choices but I went with those who fit best in my eyes  
> \- every single person mentioned by name in this universe is related to F1/Motorsport. Every single one  
> \- I used Baby Red Bull!Seb and Lotus!Kimi as they’re a bit younger  
> \- [The amazing Anni created absolutely incredible mood boards for the fic](https://verstappened.tumblr.com/search/twilight+au+cast) and you should definitely check them out 
> 
> Big thank you to Sam, Ela, Kai and Caro for Beta reading, supporting me and listening to me rambling endlessly about plot holes and what I find stupid about the books and movies - you are the best and this fic wouldn't exist without you 💛
> 
> That was a lot of rambling and info-dumping I AM SORRY I LET YOU READ NOW 
> 
> Enjoy 💛

His Papá is driving him to the airport and Lando leans back in his seat, the windows of the car open, and he watches as Madrid passes by. It has way over 30 degrees and he knows he’s going to miss the burning heat - going to miss Spain in general.

Lando takes a deep breath, the warm summer air filling his lungs and he tries not to worry too much about what he’s going to do. About where he is going to go. 

He wants his Papá happy and- look, he deserves this. Fernando met Mark, an Australian Rally driver who is now his new boyfriend and they want to move to Australia so Fernando can support him, travel with him and Lando is happy for them. Really. 

That’s why he decided to go back to England, to his other Dad. Jenson. Who lives in Brampton, a small market-town in North-West England, just 2 miles south of Hadrian’s Wall. And it’s one of the rainiest towns in the United Kingdom. Lando hates rain. 

“You really don’t have to go, _cariño_ ”, Fernando says at that moment, giving him a warm smile before focusing back on the road. “Mark offered you can come with us, we two can stay in Sydney until you finished high school and Australia has some pretty good universities as well!”

It sounds tempting but Lando shakes his head, pulling his backpack a bit closer to his chest. “I haven’t seen Dad for a while and, eh. It’s okay, really. We can have some quality bonding time, you know?” 

“Oh, _cariño_. I hope your Dad appreciates it, you always hated it there.” Fernando smiles sadly while he pulls in the parking lot at the airport and Lando sighs, jumping out of the car. 

His Papá is right, he never really liked Brampton, especially after he had to spend every summer there until he turned 14 - then he had put his foot down and these past three summers, his Dad spent his holidays with him in Spain for two weeks. Lando grabs the handle of his suitcase, Fernando locking the car before they get inside the cooler, air-conditioned, airport and Lando chews on his bottom lip. 

He’s gonna miss this. 

Fernando hugs him tightly, pressing a kiss on his cheeks when they’re saying goodbye and Lando forces himself to smile. His Papá deserves happiness. This is not about him. 

“You can always come home, you know that, no?” Fernando smiles while hugging him once more and Lando swallows dryly. How can he leave his Papá alone, his chaotic Papá- 

‘He has Mark now’ a little voice in his head says and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“I wanna go”, he lies and Fernando kisses his cheek (probably not believing him one word, he has always been a bad liar) one last time before he lets him go through security, making Lando promise to call him the second he lands in Newcastle. 

It will be fine, Lando tells himself while he sinks down in front of the gate, playing with the strings of his backpack. It will be fine. 

He’s even wearing his favourite T-Shirt, a washed-out blue one which has a ‘Good things to come’ print (Lando doubts it, he’s going to _Brampton_ after all but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?) with black skinny jeans (he nearly died wearing them in the Spanish heat but he knows it’ll be cold in England) and he has a hoodie with him, prepared for the inevitable rain that’s going to come.

And no, Lando does not own a rain jacket. Or an umbrella. But it’s England, he’s pretty sure he can buy an umbrella at every corner anyway with the amount of rain they get. 

His flight gets called up and Lando slides his backpack over his shoulder, entering the plane and falling down on his seat. He puts his headphones in while the plane rolls on the runway, ‘Full Moon’ by The Black Ghosts starts playing when they take off and Lando sighs. 

Brampton. 4,627 residents - 4,628 with him - and one of the rainiest towns in the United Kingdom. Fucking hell. 

It’s raining when he lands in Newcastle but Lando doesn’t see it as a bad omen - more as the inevitable. He pulls his hoodie over his head, grabbing his suitcase and forces himself to smile when he sees Jenson waiting for him at Arrivals.

“Hey Dad”, he mumbles - he’s not allowed to call him Jenson to his face - and hugs him a little awkwardly, Jenson actually looking happy. “Hey, kid. How was your flight?” 

“Okay.” Lando smiles, dragging his suitcase behind him and sighs when he sees that his father took his police car to pick him up. 

Of course. 

Jenson is Police Chief Button in Brampton and Lando stores his luggage in the boot before falling on the passenger seat. It’s a one hour ride from Newcastle to Brampton and he dreads the awkward silence that inevitably will come. 

“So...how’s your Papá?”, Jenson asks casually while they’re driving on the A69 leading out of Newcastle and Lando shrugs, watching the rain pour down outside. 

“He’s good. Happy.” He realises he shouldn’t have said that when he sees Jenson’s smile falter a little and Lando clears his throat. “You-“ 

“Your hair is longer since the last time I saw you”, Jenson changes the topic and Lando bites his lips. That must have been last year then. 

“I cut it”, he replies and he can see his father blush a little. “Oh.” 

And there goes that. 

The next twenty minutes are awkward, Lando watching the English countryside pass them and he tries to stay positive. Just two more years of school and then he can go to uni. Can study in Madrid or anywhere he wants (even Australia, a small voice in his head whispers) and he doesn’t have to see the rain ever again. 

“I got you a car”, Jenson suddenly says and Lando blinks, staring at him. What?! 

“A car?”, he repeats slowly and Jenson nods, focusing on the road ahead of him. 

“You remember Carlos Sainz? And his father, Carlos Sainz Senior? Well, Carlos Senior is in a wheelchair now and he doesn’t need his Ford anymore so he sold it to me. It’s a good car for you.” 

‘For you.’ Lando doesn’t really know what to think about that add-on and he nods slowly. “That’s, eh, nice but you really didn’t have to Dad-“ 

“See it as a homecoming gift”, Jenson interrupts him and Lando swallows. 

A car. Lovely. Simply lovely. 

But that means that Jenson at least doesn’t have to drive him around in the police car (and he doesn’t have to walk) and Lando leans his head against the car door, watching the landscape pass. 

“How’s Carlos Senior?”, he asks and he sees Jenson shrug from the corner of his eyes. “Good. He’s looking forward to seeing you again - same goes for his son.” 

Oh, Carlos. 

Lando doesn’t remember much but he knows that they spent most of their summers together - he hasn’t seen him in 3 years now. But they have always gotten along well and if he also goes to his school- 

Maybe he isn’t that alone then. 

They reach the driveway to Jenson’s house, a usual British townhouse with a small driveway and Lando tries not to think too negative when he gets his stuff inside. His old room in which he spent so many summers barely changed and he puts his laptop on the desk before dropping on the bed. 

Brampton. England. It stopped raining so that’s at least something but Lando isn’t ready to let go of the hoodie yet, instead tightening it a little more around himself. 

He smiles a little when he sees his old PlayStation in the corner - he hasn’t touched it since he was here 3 years ago for the last time. Next to it is a new PS5 and Lando’s heart softens a little - so his Dad got him another gift. He really shouldn’t have and his throat tightens a little at the thought of his Dad standing in the store, a little lost and getting him the console. 

But that means he can at least occupy himself a little even though he’s gonna miss Sim racing. 

Lando sighs and he gets a little closer, hand trailing over the dusty and the new console. Guess that’s going to be his new life then: Gaming and School. Maybe he should stream it on Twitch and become a professional streamer. 

He smiles at that and quickly stores his stuff in the bathroom he’s going to share with Jenson - his Dad even made a bit of space on the shelf. Not that Lando has much stuff anyway. 

He checks his phone but no one of his old friends from Madrid has written him and Lando sighs, trying to ignore the disappointment that’s settling in him. Out of sight out of mind, he thinks bitterly and flinches when Jenson calls for him. 

He peeks out of the window that shows the front porch and a smile spreads over his face when he sees his Dad with Carlos Senior and his son - Carlos Junior. Lando joins them outside, smile widening when he sees how Jenson jokes around with Carlos Senior. 

His Dad has never gotten over Fernando and seeing him smile makes Lando breathe a little bit easier. He wants both of his Dads to be happy and he knows it won’t be easy with Jenson - especially now that Fernando is moving to Australia with Mark.

“Lando!” Carlos Senior gives him a broad smile and Lando shakes his hand, a bit of the tension leaving his body when he hears the Spanish accent. Carlos Junior - this is ridiculous, he’s just gonna call him Carlos - pulls him into a strong hug and gives him a broad smile. 

“Lando, man! You’ve not grown much!” He has a teasing undertone in his voice and Lando shrugs, blushing a little. 

“You’ve grown quite a lot though”, he replies and Carlos laughs. 

He’s a little bit older than Lando, dark hair and definitely not that awkward teenager Lando remembers. He’s not really his type but he’s glad to at least know _someone_ in this godforsaken town.

“Am I going to see you in school tomorrow?”, he asks but Carlos shakes his head, giving him an apologetic smile. 

“I’m going to a Spanish school in Carlisle, sorry”, he answers and Lando nods, trying to hide his disappointment. Fucking great.

Why can’t _he_ go to a Spanish speaking school in Carlisle? He speaks Spanish fluently, it’s his second mother tongue next to English and Carlos gives him a sympathetic smile. 

“It’s gonna be alright.” He seems to sense his dismay and Lando shrugs, forcing himself to grin. “Yeah, who doesn’t like to be the new kid.”

“They’re gonna love you.” Jenson pats him on the back and Lando grimaces, not sure what to say to that. His Dad hasn’t been in school for _a while_ \- why do adults always think it’s easy? He’s socially awkward and they are definitely not ‘going to love him.’

If he’s lucky they’re gonna leave him alone and not bully him. 

“Anyway, we brought the car over.” Carlos Senior knocks against the grey Ford that’s standing in the driveway and Lando gives it a quick once-over. It looks alright, old but he definitely won’t complain about that and Carlos grins. “Just, eh, don’t try going too fast.” 

Lando actually laughs at that, shaking his head and catching the keys Carlos throws at him, letting them slide in the pocket of his jeans. 

Just two more years. 

He doesn’t sleep much that night, too nervous, tossing and turning in his bed and when he wakes up at dawn, the sun slowly rising outside, he feels like shit. Lando groans when he looks out of the window and sees the clouds. 

It’s grey but then again, what did he expect? At least it’s not raining (yet) and he makes his way downstairs for breakfast. The interior of the house didn’t change much in the last years and Lando yawns, smiling when Jenson gives him a bright smile. 

“Good Morning, are you excited?” He pushes some eggs and toasts his way and Lando shrugs - the eggs are burned but Jenson tried. And it’s not like Lando could cook well himself. He shoves the eggs around his plate a bit, chewing on the toast and taking a sip from his tea. 

He misses Cola Cao and kinda regrets not having taken anything with him. Maybe Fernando can send him some before they leave- or Carlos has some. 

It started drizzling outside and Lando shrugs when he realises that Jenson still seems to wait for an answer. “I guess?” 

He shoves some egg in his mouth and Jenson finishes his tea, still smiling. 

“It will be great, yeah? Call me when you need anything.” He gets up, putting his mug in the sink and Lando nods. His Dad leaves, having to be early at the police station and Lando’s gaze wanders through the living room. 

There is still the wedding picture of his Dad and his Papá over the chimney, directly next to Jenson holding Lando as a baby while Fernando smiles at both of them. There are also quite a few pictures of Lando growing up, the last one being of Lando in his Spanish school uniform and he swallows down his toast before getting rid of the eggs. 

It’s pretty obvious his Dad has never gotten over his Papá and it makes Lando a bit uncomfortable. He grabs his backpack and thick rain jacket, locking the door behind himself and fleeing through the drizzle to his car, falling on the driver’s seat. 

It’s warm in here and Lando is pleasantly surprised that Carlos and his Dad apparently cleaned the car. He starts the engine, relieved that it works without problems and he needs a moment to remind himself that he's driving on the wrong side of the road now.

God, he prays he gets to school without an accident. 

He steers on the road, his brain adapting surprisingly quickly to driving on the other side and he finds the school without much problem, having looked it up before on Maps. Brampton isn’t that big and he’s relieved when he finds a free parking spot, leaving his car and pulling the hood of his jacket over his head. 

His gaze wanders over the other cars, most students also driving either a Ford or some Vauxhall and he wants to turn to the brick building that will be his new school when three cars catch his eye. 

Lando turns around fully, staring at a red Ferrari, a dark blue Aston Martin and the black Mercedes Roadster and he blinks, actually speechless. Guess this school has your typical rich kids as well. Great. He knows who he’s gonna avoid then and Lando grabs his backpack, heading for the building that has a small sign with ‘front office’ on the wall. 

He mixes with the crowd, trying to blend in but he’s pretty sure people are staring at him and he knocks on the door of the office before he enters. There are two students inside and Lando waits until they’re done before he steps forward.

The blonde woman behind the counter gives him a warm smile, she can’t be older than 40 and Lando relaxes a little.

“How can I help you?”, she asks and Lando clears his throat. 

“Eh- hi. I’m Lando Al- Button”, he says, facepalming himself inwardly. In Spain his last name has been the one of his Papá - Alonso - while in England he decided to go by the one from his Dad: Button. 

It makes things a little easier _or so he thought_ , it would definitely help if he remembered his own surname and the woman’s eyes light up with awareness. “Lando, of course! Welcome to Brampton, I’m Susie Wolff.” 

She gives him another warm smile before she digs through a stack of papers on her desk until she seems to have found what she is looking for, handing them to Lando. 

“This is your schedule and here’s a small map so you don’t get lost.” She winks at him before she talks him through his classes, highlighting the best route to each of them on the map and Lando nods along, trying to remember everything. 

“Good luck and I hope you’ll like it here!” Mrs Wolff (there’s a golden wedding ring on her finger) gives him one more smile and Lando forces himself to smile back convincingly. “I’m sure.” 

Boy, is he bad at lying. 

He leaves the office, taking a quick picture of the map before stuffing it in his backpack and opening the picture on his phone - he’s definitely not going to run around with a map in front of his face today. 

The hallways are way more crowded now than before, students passing him and Lando follows the route Mrs Wolff highlighted for him. He has Maths in first period by a certain Mr Wolff (he faintly wonders if the two are related) and he still doesn’t understand his schedule.

Apparently he only has four subjects - Biology, Maths, English Literature and Spanish -, with that coming something called ‘Extended Project Class’ and ‘Independent Study’ (not that he has any idea what that means) and the school system is completely different to the one in Spain. 

Starting with the fact that he has to stay in school until 3 pm. 

He did stay in school until 5 in Spain but he was able to go home during lunch, having a 3 1/2 hour break - he somehow doubts that’s possible here though. 

Lando sighs before he enters the classroom for his first period and awkwardly steps in front of Mr Wolff. 

“You’re Lando Button?”, Mr Wolff asks him and Lando nods, biting on his bottom lip. “I am.” 

“Alright, Lando, just take a seat and try following - if you have any questions feel free to talk to me after the lesson.” Mr Wolff has the same warm smile as Mrs Wolff and when Lando sees the golden wedding ring on his finger, he’s pretty sure they’re married. 

Not that it matters. 

He nods, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and tries to ignore the looks of the others. He slides on a free chair, unpacking his things and focuses on Mr Wolff who started exactly on time. 

He keeps up quite well, Maths is the same in every country and he mentally scratches Maths from his ‘Classes To Worry About’ list. He flinches when a boy suddenly appears next to him when he’s leaving the classroom, giving him a warm smile.

“You’re Lando, right?”, he asks while they’re walking down the hallway and Lando nods, not sure what to say. The boy is tall, really tall, with brown hair and blue eyes and he’s probably the most British person Lando has met all day. 

“I’m George”, the boy introduces himself, offering him his hand and Lando shakes it tentatively. “Hey.” 

“What do you have next?”, George asks while they pass the other students and Lando pulls his phone from his pocket, checking the picture of his schedule. 

“English Literature but-“ 

“I’m gonna take you, my mate Alex has it too.” George grins, pulling him along and Lando lets him, actually glad not to be alone. George seems nice, talking about his next class - Politics - and when they reach the classroom, Lando kinda wishes he would’ve also taken Politics. 

At least he would’ve known someone there already. 

But then George whistles, effectively ignoring all the heads that are turning towards them and Lando just wishes for the ground to open up and swallow him.

“Oi, Alex! That’s Lando, can you take care of him?”, George yells and Lando blushes, trying his best to disappear - it doesn’t work. 

Alex doesn’t look too impressed, he only rolls his eyes at George before he gives Lando a warm smile and pulls him into the classroom. “Sure thing. See you at lunch, mate?” 

“Always.” George grins at them one last time before he disappears and Alex nods on a free chair next to him. “Ignore George. You’re okay?” 

“Guess so. Apart from the fact that everyone is staring at me.”

“There’s not much happening here, give those noisy fuckers a week.” Alex waves dismissively and Lando wants to say something but then their teacher enters the room and he tries to focus on English Literature. 

After class Alex brings him to Spanish, introducing him to his friend Sacha and Lando is relieved to find out that Sacha is an absolute sweetheart - and has Argentinian roots, meaning Spanish is his mother tongue. 

He’s a little bit shyer than Alex and George but incredibly nice and after their Spanish class (which Lando knew wouldn’t be much of a problem) Sacha takes him to the cafeteria. 

“You can sit with us during lunch, don’t worry about it”, he says while navigating them through hundreds of students to a table, Alex and George already being there. Lando tries keeping up, holding on to his tray with food and Alex gives them a bright smile when he spots them. 

“How was your day so far?”, he asks while they sit down and Lando shrugs. “Okay, I guess? Not so sure about Literature but the rest is okay.” 

“Who do you have in Literature?”, Sacha asks and Lando frowns, giving Alex a questioning look. “Eh-“

“Ms Williams”, Alex says calmly, taking a bite from his food. “It’s gonna be fine, she’s super nice.” 

“I have to ask though”, George starts and Lando turns slightly so he faces him, biting his lip. “Yeah?” 

Oh god, what-

“Why did you move from Spain to this shithole?” George is grinning and Lando snorts, taking a sip from his water. “My Papá is moving to Australia and I didn’t want to go with him, he- he deserves happiness.” 

He shrugs helplessly, George and Sacha looking at him confused while Alex gives him a comforting smile. 

“So you live with your Dad now?”, he asks and Lando nods. “Yeah. Dad, he- Jenson is alright I guess?” 

He’s really not too keen on talking about his family and he shifts a bit in his seat. They’re nice, really but he doubts they understand his reasons and he takes another bite from his food. 

“You don’t really look Spanish”, George suddenly remarks and Lando raises his eyebrows, trying not to be too offended. He knows he’s pale but he’s _half-British_ for fuck’s sake. “How do Spanish people look?” 

“I don’t know, more tanned?” George grins and Lando shakes his head, trying to glare at him but failing miserably, a grin spreading over his face. 

“Stop being a dick, George”, Alex says dryly and the two start bickering, Sacha being on his phone and Lando considers checking his own as well (maybe his friends have written him by now) when the door to the cafeteria opens again and Lando looks up.

Five boys - or young men because they all look more like they’re going to uni than being sixth-form students - just entered the cafeteria and Lando is actually speechless when he sees them, not being able to look away. 

They don’t look anything alike, with all of them having different physiques - there’s a tall guy with dark curls and dimples, two guys who are a bit bulkier with one of them wearing a cap, a blonde guy and one with dark brown hair and sharp cheekbones - but at the same time, they look exactly alike. 

Every one of them is incredibly pale, even paler than Lando, all of them looking tired - same to be honest - but their features are immaculate. 

But that isn’t the reason why Lando is staring. The reason why he’s staring is because their faces, so different, so similar, are all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. 

And they all have dark eyes, even the blonde guy. 

“Who are _they_?”, Lando asks quietly, effectively interrupting George’s and Alex’s bickering and even Sacha looks up from his phone, all following Lando’s gaze. 

The group has sat down on a table at the far end of the cafeteria, quietly talking to each other but then one of them - he looks like he’s the youngest, the one with the sharp cheekbones and the messy, dark hair, wearing some way too expensive designer clothes - looks up and Lando’s and his eyes meet, just for a second. 

Lando’s heart stops for a moment before it beats even faster than before and he can feel himself blush, looking away immediately. From the corner of his eyes he sees the guy laugh and- oh my god, he has dimples. 

“That are the children of Dr Hamilton and his husband”, George explains at that moment quietly. “And they’re all together.” 

There’s a judging undertone in his voice but Alex rolls his eyes. “They’re adopted, mate, they’re not related.” 

“Yeah but it’s still _weird_ , you know?” George shrugs and Sacha sighs. “Ignore him, he’s an idiot. Anyway, from left on, that are Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo - they are a thing, don’t even _try_ looking at Dan in any way, Max will literally kill you. I heard Dan is actually quite fun but Max? He’s a bitch.” 

Lando carefully looks over again, Dan lazily having an arm around Max’s neck, laughing at something, showing off a row of perfectly white teeth and Max is smiling, leaning against his boyfriend.

“The two next to them are Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen - also dating. Sebastian is a little bit weird but nice I guess? And Kimi is very quiet. Very scary”, Alex keeps going on and Lando’s gaze wanders to the other two in the middle. 

Sebastian has a huge smile on his face while his boyfriend - Kimi - looks completely unimpressed, apparently not really paying attention to what the others are saying. He looks intimidating and George snorts. 

“And then there’s Charles Leclerc. He’s the youngest even though I’m pretty sure he’s just as old as Max and he’s in our year. He’s gorgeous, of course, but apparently no one here is good enough for him.” 

Charles - the guy who looked at Lando before - smirks as if he has heard what George just said, his dimples showing and Lando swallows dryly. 

He _is_ gorgeous. 

“And Dr Hamilton adopted them?”, he asks and Sacha nods. “He and his husband are both also pretty young - in their thirties or so - and they wanted children.” 

“That’s really nice of them.” Lando is still staring at the group, Daniel apparently telling them something while not having touched his food once - the same goes for the others. 

“Have they always lived in Brampton?”, Lando asks and George shakes his head. “No. They just moved up here from somewhere in _Wales_ two years ago.” He pulls a face at that, apparently not being a big fan of Wales and Lando shrugs, suddenly feeling relieved. 

So he’s not the only new kid. Comforting. 

“They’re weird though”, Alex admits reluctantly. “Like, they don’t even have social media or anything? Who doesn’t have social media in 2020?!” 

That is definitely weird and Lando frowns, shrugging. “Maybe it’s not their thing?” 

“All five of them?”, George asks, shaking his head. “It’s weird.”

“Maybe Dr Hamilton doesn’t allow it”, Sacha suggests but George rolls his eyes. “They’re all 18, 19 or 20, they’re adults-“ 

“You're 18 and your Mum didn’t allow you to go out last weekend”, Alex interrupts him with an amused smile and while it leads to more bickering, Lando tries his best not to stare too much. 

The five leave soon after, all of them moving incredibly graceful - even Kimi who’s a little bit bulkier than the others and Lando takes a deep breath, Charles not looking at him again. 

To his dread, he’s alone in his next class, Biology, and after Sacha vanished to his History class, leaving Lando alone in the hallway, he hesitantly walks into his classroom. 

The whole room is already full, with no free seats left except- oh god. Lando recognises Charles Leclerc next to the only free chair on the window and Lando’s heart beats faster. Oh god.

Charles looks up when he passes him, sitting up a bit more straight and staring at Lando with the strangest expression on his face - it is nearly hostile, furious. His eyes are black, coal-black and Lando blinks, absolutely confused. 

What the fuck is his problem? 

His teacher is already there, Lando knows from his schedule that his name is Zak Brown and after he introduced himself to him and Mr Brown told him to call him Zak, he’s sent to the only free seat left. 

Directly next to Charles Leclerc. 

Lando tries not to think too much about it. 

He falls down next to Charles, Charles moving back immediately and Lando raises his eyebrows, placing the book he got from Zak in front of him on the table. 

“You’re okay, mate?”, he asks slowly but Charles just ignores him, turning his head towards Zak who started talking in the front. Lando blinks confused, Charles covering his mouth and nose with his hand and Lando tries his best not to be offended. 

He inconspicuously sniffs on his T-Shirt but it smells just fine - like laundry detergent. What the fuck is his problem?! 

He notices that Charles is tense, his hand balled into a fist below the table and his arm surprisingly muscular, not as slight as he looked between his brothers. 

He’s on the edge of his chair, as far away from Lando as possible and Lando is getting more and more annoyed. What the fuck is wrong with him?! 

“You’ve got a problem?!”, he hisses when Zak is distracted but Charles keeps ignoring him, eyes fixed on Zak. 

“Because if you do, tell me, the shirt I’m wearing is freshly washed.” Lando glares at him and when Charles still doesn’t react, he rolls his eyes. “Mate, what the-“ 

Charles looks at him again, black eyes full of anger and Lando involuntarily gets goosebumps but holding the stare. He’s definitely not backing down now even though the phrase _if looks could kill_ is suddenly very present in his head. 

This is ridiculous and-

The ringing of the bell interrupts their stare off and before Lando even realises it, Charles is out of his chair, stuffing his things into his backpack and leaving the room. Lando stares after him dumbfounded, frozen in his seat and not sure what to do. 

He slowly gets up, heading for his last period - Extended Project Class, he still hasn’t figured out whatever the fuck that is - and somehow sitting through it, his mind somewhere completely else. 

He doesn’t get what he did to Charles that he seems to dislike him so much and he actually considers switching Biology. Might sound ridiculous but he really doesn’t want to deal with a moody Charles Leclerc who seems to hate him for absolutely no reason. 

Guess Biology then counts to his ‘Classes To Worry About’ list. 

Maybe he can do History with Sacha, he never liked Biology that much anyway and he unconsciously heads for Mrs Wolff’s office. Maybe- 

He freezes when he enters, nearly walking back out again. Charles Leclerc is standing at the desk in front of him, talking with Mrs Wolff in a low, attractive voice and Lando presses himself against the wall, trying to catch a piece of their conversation. 

His heart beats faster when he realises that Charles actually wants to _switch classes_ \- really now? Lando ignores the fact that he’s here to do the same thing, _he_ wasn’t the one who has acted like a total dick and Charles suddenly turns around, staring at him. 

It’s quiet for a second before he turns back to Mrs Wolff, giving her a charming smile. “Well then, I see it’s not possible. Thank you so much for trying anyways.” 

He has a French accent. And Lando knows that this is _really_ the wrong time to thirst after that absolute asshole but no one said he has a good taste in men. 

Charles gives him one last glare before he leaves the office and Lando breathes out, his heart rate slowly calming down. What the fuck. 

“Can I help you, dear?” Mrs Wolff gives him a comforting smile and Lando shakes his head, throat a little tight suddenly. “No, I just- I just- nevermind.” 

He flees the office, nearly running to the parking lot and he scoffs when he sees Charles getting in the red Ferrari and driving off.

Of course that’s his car. Fucking asshole. 

He gets in his Ford, pulling his phone from his pocket and debates if he should call his Papá. But he deserves to be happy, he shouldn’t worry about his son and this is absolutely ridiculous. 

He considers texting Alex, George and Sacha - he got added to the group chat during lunch - but he doesn’t want to start drama on the first day of school. And he still feels like shit so there’s that. 

Lando slowly drives home, it takes his whole brainpower to focus on driving on the left side and when he enters the house, Jenson is already there, giving him a bright smile. 

“Hey, darling, how was your first day at school?”, he asks and Lando shrugs. “Bad.” 

“Did you make any friends?” Jenson has a concerned look in his eyes and Lando’s thoughts wander from Charles Leclerc to Alex, George and Sacha. 

“Yeah. Guess so.” He shrugs again before he disappears upstairs, throwing himself on the bed and screaming in the pillow before he gets the controller from his PlayStation. 

What a fucking shitty day.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day at school is better and worse at the same time. Better because he already knows his way around and Alex waits for him so they can go to English Literature together. Worse, because he realises during lunch that Charles really isn’t there. 

Lando doesn’t want to stare too obviously but Charles hadn’t been in Biology and he isn’t at lunch and Lando doesn’t get it. Is it because of yesterday? But that’s ridiculous, innit? He didn’t do anything. 

His gaze falls back on Charles’ brothers, them talking quietly with each other, looking serious and Lando isn’t hungry anymore, pushing his tray away. It’s still raining and he tries to get rid of the bad feeling in his stomach but when he looks up he sees Dan looking at him - just for a second, really - and Lando’s throat goes dry. 

Dan looks aways, talking with Max and his brothers, not paying Lando any more attention and George snaps his fingers in front of Lando’s face. “Oi! Mate!” 

Lando flinches, looking back at his friends and gives them a sheepish grin. “What?” 

“Call of Duty or Battlefield?”, Sacha asks and Lando relaxes, ignoring the Hamilton kids for the rest of his lunch. Maybe Charles is just sick - he did look a bit pale yesterday after all. 

But Charles doesn’t come to school in the next two days either and Lando tries to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. The other four are still there but they keep to themselves and Lando doesn’t want to care. Really not. 

He sticks to Alex, George and Sacha, talks with them about video games and tells them about Spain, goes to class and it’s scary how easily he gets a routine. The rain is there constantly, always looming over the town and he already feels stuck. 

He starts reading ‘Wuthering Heights’ for his English Literature class, already hating it after the first few pages (how the fuck is that considered classic literature), somehow teaming up with George in Maths and acing Spanish with Sacha. 

Biology is ... empty without Charles and Lando hates himself for thinking so much about that arrogant prick. It’s not like they talked much anyway but he’s curious and when he leaves school on Friday, having successfully survived his first week of sixth-form, he’s so done. 

He watches Dan and Max getting in the dark blue Aston Martin while Kimi opens the door on the Mercedes for Sebastian before getting on the passenger seat but there’s no sight of the red Ferrari. Lando doesn’t get it and he says goodbye to Alex, George and Sacha, promising them to join their PlayStation Party later that night. 

He’s still deep in his thoughts during dinner (they ordered take-away because, really, none of them can cook), pushing his food from one side of the plate to the other. 

“So who are your new friends?”, Jenson asks and takes a sip from his beer. “Are they nice?” 

“Yeah. There are George and Alex, they’re both super tall but very nice. And Sacha, I have Spanish with him.” Lando frowns, leaning back in his chair. “You know them?”

“Yes, that must be George Russell and Alex Albon, their families have lived in Brampton for years already. Sacha Fenestraz...his family moved here around 10 years ago from London. Nice kid.” 

Lando nods, pitying Sacha a little for moving from London to _Brampton_ but his mind involuntarily wanders back to someone else.

“Do you know Dr Hamilton’s kids?”, he asks hesitantly and Jenson nods immediately, eyes lightning up. “Dr Hamilton is a great man.” 

Lando doesn’t doubt that he adopted five teenage boys after all but...

“The kids...they’re a little different, right? They don’t seem to really fit in at school...” Lando chews on his bottom lip, carefully watching how Jenson’s face darkens. 

“People in this town, I swear to god”, he mutters. “Dr Hamilton is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here.” 

He frowns. “We’re lucky to have him - lucky his husband wants to live in such a small town and his kids are all very polite and well-behaved.” 

Are they?? Lando thinks back to Charles behaviour on Monday and pulls a face but his Dad seems to feel very passionately about this and he forces himself to smile. 

“I was just curious, really”, he says and adds a diplomatic “they’re very attractive”, unconsciously thinking about Charles’ dimples. 

Jenson laughs and finishes his food, giving him a small smile. “You should see the doctor, it’s a good thing he’s happily married. Quite a few nurses have a hard time concentrating with him around.” He shakes his head amused and Lando nods deep in thoughts. 

“He’s nice then I guess?”, he asks and Jenson nods immediately. “Lewis - Dr Hamilton - is a blessing and the best thing that could’ve happened to this town. I met him a few times and he’s an angel.” 

Okay, that is a lot of love coming from his Dad and Lando hides his grin behind his glass, swallowing his rice. “Dad, your crush is showing.” 

“I don’t-“ 

Jenson stares at him but he’s blushing slightly and Lando laughs. 

They finish dinner in peace, Lando cleaning up behind them before he goes back upstairs, falling on his bed and pulling his phone from his pocket. He googles ‘Dr Lewis Hamilton, Brampton Hospital’ and taps on the website of the hospital. 

There’s a picture and he involuntarily draws in a sharp breath when he sees Dr Hamilton - his Dad has been right. He _is_ gorgeous, the similarity of that nearly inhuman beauty to his children undeniable and Lando skims over the caption. 

Born in London, 35, studied Medicine at Oxford. Married, five adopted children. 

Hm. 

Not very informative and he looks back at the picture. Dr Hamilton has kind, golden eyes, a warm smile, and his black hair is pulled back in braids. His features are immaculate and Lando chews on his bottom lip, scrolling mindlessly through the hospital’s website.

He doesn’t find anything else though and when he googles ‘Charles Leclerc’ nothing comes up. Which kinda makes sense because Lando has googled himself before as well and nothing came up so really, he shouldn’t be that frustrated. 

Still. 

He falls back in his bed, staring at the ceiling and playing with his phone. He shouldn’t care that much about Charles Leclerc or his family - it’s not like he’ll ever have much to do with them. And Max and Kimi are quite scary anyway. 

On Monday, Charles still isn’t at school and now it’s getting weird. Even George, Alex and Sacha seem to notice it, quietly whispering about it during lunch on Tuesday and Lando pretends he doesn’t care, eyes wandering back to Charles’ brothers. 

He flinches when he sees Max glare at him and quickly looks away, blushing - what the fuck has he _done_ to this family?! From the corner of his eyes, he sees Dan putting a hand on Max’s shoulder, quietly talking to him and Max averts his eyes, focusing back on his family and Lando releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

What the fuck. 

On Wednesday he’s sitting in the back of his English Literature class, there’s a very loud debate about Wuthering Heights going on in the front (apparently some people have very strong opinions about this book), Ms Williams trying her best to mediate it somehow but it gives Alex and Lando the chance to talk in peace. 

“I need to tell you something”, Alex mumbles while they watch two girls nearly being at each other’s throat about their different opinion on Heathcliff, “but you can’t tell George. Or Sacha.” 

“Sure, what is it?” Lando raises his eyebrows and Alex blushes, playing with his phone in his hands. 

“I might fancy George”, he says quietly and he quickly avoids his eyes. “But you can’t tell him!” 

“Alex, oh my god!” Lando starts grinning, careful to keep his voice down though and Alex runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t think tho-“

“CATHY IS A BITCH!” 

“That he likes me”, Alex continues, completely ignoring the boys who just joined the discussion - Ms Williams looks like she’s ready to quit her job. “Like? He deserves so much better-“

“THE BOOK IS FUCKING POINTLESS, NOTHING EVER HAPPENS!” 

“Alex, what the fuck?!” Lando shakes his head, staring at him incredulously. “Mate, don’t put yourself down like that, you are great!” 

“Thanks but I’m not sure if George would want me.” Alex shrugs, looking insecure. “I mean-“ 

“THAT BOOK IS TOO LONG ANYWAY!” 

“I think you should give it a shot”, Lando suggests, leaning back in his chair while doodling on his notebook. “George is a good lad and I’m 99.9% sure he won’t reject you.” 

”What about the other 0.1%?” Alex raises his eyebrows and Lando shrugs, grinning. “You can never be too sure about anything.” 

“THEY ARE ALL ARSEHOLES!” 

“I just don’t want to risk our friendship”, Alex admits quietly. “George- he’s my best mate, you know? I don’t want to ruin that.” 

“You won’t, man. George is absolutely infatuated with you and I’m saying that after one and a half weeks of knowing you.” Lando grins and Alex smiles tentatively at him. “Thanks, we-“ 

“I’m very glad you all feel so passionately about this book but we need to end this class now.” Ms Williams looks visibly relieved when the bell rings and Alex and Lando grin at each other while they’re leaving the class, a few of their fellow students still arguing loudly. 

Friday of his second week arrives and Lando groans when he looks out of the window in the morning. It’s snowing. Fucking snowing. He _hates_ snow and he’s already in a bad mood when he arrives at school, glaring at George who just threw a snowball at him. Fucking dick. 

There’s still no sight of Charles Leclerc and Lando sighs before he enters the building. He passed Charles’ brothers though, all of them looking a lot better, their cheeks flushed and the snow gently settling in their hair - it’s unfair, really. 

While Lando looks like a wet poodle, Max Verstappen looks like a young God and he ignores them when he heads for his Biology class. Charles isn’t there and Lando tries paying attention but having Biology in First Period on a Friday while it’s still snowing softly outside - yeah no. Not really working. 

He’s relieved to see that the snow turned to water when he leaves school in the afternoon and he stifles a yawn. His second week in Brampton done and it already feels like he’s stuck here since forever. 

Thank god for his PlayStation. 

**CHARLES**

“You’re being overdramatic.” 

“Shut up, Max.” 

“He’s right though.” Dan grins, lounging on one of the sofas in the front room and Charles snorts. “I’m not! And yeah, given, it was bad timing because we haven’t been hunting for a while but...fuck!”

He sinks on the other sofa, ignoring Max’s thoughts - really, being able to read people’s minds is _annoying_ from time to time and he got really good at drowning it out - and taking a deep breath. 

Lando Button. Or, the first human he nearly killed in over fifty years. Fuck. 

“You know, you could just get over with it and kill him”, Dan suggests, stretching lazily and not for the first time he reminds Charles more of a big cat than a vampire. He stares at him, actually shocked and flips Max off when he hears him think _’he’s right’_. 

“Shut up, Max!” 

“I didn’t even say anything!” 

“Stop thinking!” 

“Stop reading my mind!” 

“I-“ Charles stares at him for another second before he shakes his head and glares at Dan. “I won’t kill Lando!” 

“Yeah no I don’t think that would work”, Lewis calmly throws in, sitting behind his desk and looking up from his Macbook. “Too much attention and all.” 

“Thanks”, Charles mumbles and Kimi sighs. “What’s so special about the boy anyway?” 

“Have you not smelled his blood? It’s so good, so- fuck.” Charles shakes his head and pulls his legs up, hugging his knees. “I can’t just kill him!” 

It’s not just his blood. Charles’ mind involuntarily wanders back to the dimples, to Lando’s laugh, his voice and something in him feels oddly warm. He groans he knows what this means - even though he never thought it would happen to him. 

Good lord, why does his life hate him so much? 

“Charles-“, Seb starts carefully but Charles shakes his head and looks up. 

“I might be in love with him”, he whispers and it’s dead silent for a second before Max groans loudly. “Are you fucking _kidding_ me, mate?!”

“It’s not my fault!”, Charles fires back and Max rolls his eyes. “He’s human!” 

“You fell in love with a human too!” 

“But mine was already _dying_!”, Max hisses, instinctively taking Dan’s hand. “Yours is perfectly alive!” 

“And that is a problem”, Kimi calmly adds and Charles wants to argue but he knows it’s pointless - they’re right. He’s fucked and Nico gives him a comforting smile, sitting down next to him. 

“Do you want to stay at home for the rest of the year? If it’s too much-“ 

“Yeah we don’t want a bloodbath at school”, Dan throws in, a grin on his face and Charles is close to just leaving. Why is _he_ the one who’s stuck with six idiots for all eternity? Okay, to be fair he’s a little overdramatic. 

Nico and Lewis are nice and he truly sees them as his adoptive Dads. 

But the other four? Pain in the arse most of the time. 

“You did pretty well two weeks ago”, Lewis says, giving him an encouraging smile. “Especially given the fact that you were hungry.” 

“I just didn’t expect it to be that bad, you know?”, Charles whispers, instinctively leaning against Nico. “But he was suddenly there and I just- I don’t know what it is but I want to drink his blood and fuck him at the same time.” 

“Kinky”, Dan comments dryly and Charles throws him a deadly glare. He’s already suffering enough when these two decide to have sex in the house and all of them have to listen to them - and Charles having to hear their thoughts. Really something he could live without. 

Speaking of mind reading. 

“There’s something else”, he says slowly, chewing on his bottom lip. He completely forgot to mention it two weeks ago, after he came home, completely distraught, nearly crying in Lewis’ arms because he was so confused and scared. Never before had a human or their blood such an impact on him and all he had cared about two weeks ago was to get rid of that thirst.

Dan and Max had gone hunting with him, all the way up to Scotland and it had been better afterwards but he’s still scared to go back to school on Monday. To see _him_ again. 

“What is it?”, Kimi asks with a frown and Charles looks at Lewis, taking a deep breath. 

“I can’t read his mind”, he says quietly and Lewis raises his eyebrows. “You can’t?” 

“No, I have absolutely no idea what Lando is thinking. It’s like there’s a wall I can’t break through.” 

“Lucky bastard”, Max mumbles but Charles ignores him, jumping up and pacing through the room. 

“When I first saw him in the cafeteria I didn’t pay much attention to it, like, you know I’m drowning it out most of the time because it just gets annoying and no one of these fuckers thinks anything interesting most of the time anyway but then in Biology, he was suddenly so close and I had to sit next to him and I couldn’t read his mind!” 

“Strange”, Nico mumbles, exchanging a quick look with Lewis. “Have you heard of something like that before?” 

“Not with humans, no.” Lewis stares at his Macbook, deep in thoughts before he looks at Seb. “Did you have any visions regarding Lando?” 

“I-“ Seb hesitates. “There was something with Charles but nothing concrete - I would’ve told you otherwise.” 

“Great, I’m gonna die.” Charles groans, falling on the sofa, burying his face in a pillow. “I hate my existence.” 

“You’re already dead”, Dan points out helpfully, a smirk on his face and Charles flips him off. 

“Should we keep an eye on that Lando-kid then?”, Kimi asks Lewis, shifting a little on his feet. “Just to make sure he’s not a threat or something like that-“

“Lando is not a threat!” Charles stares at Kimi incredulously and Max rolls his eyes, sinking on Dan’s lap. 

“And here we go”, he mumbles, Dan putting his arms around him and softly kissing his neck. “Let him, he’s a horny teenager.” 

He smirks when he sees Charles’ glare, Max shivering slightly when Dan kisses his neck again, gently biting but not drawing blood and Lewis clears his throat. 

“Boys, seriously, would you mind-“ 

“Sorry, Dad.” Max has a shit-eating grin on his face but they relax and Charles starts pacing again. “Just- leave Lando alone, yeah? I can handle it, I’m just gonna be nice and we’re finishing the year without any major incidents. And next year I’m taking different classes than him. Problem solved.” 

Lewis doesn’t look too convinced but Nico nods, giving him an encouraging smile. “Just look after yourself, yeah? Don’t stress it. If you want to ignore him that’s fine as well.” 

“Yeah but I’m not an _arsehole_ ”, Charles says and Seb nods. “I think that’s the best solution. We just have to make sure we don’t neglect hunting and that one of us is always around you - except in Biology of course.” 

“Exactly.” Charles nods, glad that Seb agrees with him and Kimi shrugs. “Fine by me.” 

“So we’re babysitting you?” Dan grins and Charles snorts, throwing a pillow at him - Dan avoids it easily, still grinning. “You wish.” 

“After this is sorted...”, Lewis clears his throat, there’s a serious expression in his eyes and Charles knows that’s nothing good. “What’s wrong?” 

He sits up a little straighter, refraining from entering Lewis’ mind - it’s rude. And yeah he does it sometimes to wind up Max but he’s not a total dick, his family has a right to privacy and Lewis sighs. 

“There have been quite a few suspicious murders in the last few weeks”, he starts, his fingers restlessly drumming against his desk. “The local authorities think it was some wild animal but no wild animal in Britain leaves such wounds and bite marks.” 

“You think it’s another vampire?” All of Dan’s playfulness is gone, he looks completely serious and Lewis nods. “I talked with Romain but it was no one of his guys - he’s worried as well though.” 

“You sure it wasn’t the dogs?”, Max throws in dryly. “To blame us for it?” 

“It’s definitely a possibility, even though an unlikely one.” Lewis massages his temples and Nico gets up, walking over to him and hugging him from behind. Lewis gives him a small smile, kissing him gently before he gets up as well. “I’m gonna talk with Carlos about this but in the meantime keep your eyes open.” 

“You think they you’d attack us?” Charles raises his eyebrows and Kimi shrugs. “Other vampires - or wolves - are savages.” 

The light scars on his arms just support his statement and Seb quietly puts an arm around his shoulder. 

“Just look after yourself and don’t kill any humans.” Lewis gives Charles a pointed look. “And I hope we can deal with the intruder ourselves.” 

Charles is in his room on his window shelf, the windows open and he’s mindlessly scrolling through his (fake) Instagram. No one of these fuckers from school needs to know that he _does_ have Social Media - the same goes for Max and Dan. 

Charles is pretty sure Lewis knows about it but lets them as long as they behave - Charles only uses his account for posting his outfits (without his face of course) and to stalk the people from school anyway. 

He might be a vampire but he also prefers a modern way of living and he rolls his eyes when sees some stupid post from a guy in his Italian class. Why does he even bother following them, he- 

Lando surely has Instagram. 

Charles stares at his phone before he goes to Alex’ followers (he sat with them during lunch, maybe they’re friends now?) and types in ‘Lando Button’. 

He’s surprised he actually finds him, that was surprisingly easy and if he was still alive his heart would definitely beat faster now. Charles taps on the small name, thanking every God there is that Lando has a public profile and he scrolls through all the pictures. 

Lando in Madrid, Lando with friends, Lando on some party, him with an older man who’s apparently his other Dad, some landscape pictures and Charles can’t help but smile. 

He’s cute. 

And he hates himself for thinking that. 

He doesn’t flinch when Dan suddenly sits down across from him; he heard him coming and Charles continues scrolling through his Instagram until he reached the end (a picture of some food with the caption ‘lol’ - very 2014). 

Only then he looks up and finds Dan looking at him, sitting cross-legged and smiling slightly. 

“He _is_ cute”, he remarks and Charles snorts, trying to ignore the possessive feeling that’s spreading through him at Dan’s words. 

Lando is his- Lando is no one’s and he’s an idiot. 

“Don’t let Max hear that”, he answers instead and locks his phone, Dan just laughing. “He knows, we talked about Lando.” 

There’s a glint in his eyes and Charles raises his eyebrows, letting his legs dangle out of the window. Lewis and Nico are watching Game of Thrones downstairs, he can hear Jon Snow's voice and Nico's constant theories (Charles can’t believe they’re so behind with all seasons) while Max seems to be on his PlayStation, playing FIFA and Seb and Kimi are in the garage, talking and working on one of the cars.

“What did you talk about?” He puts his phone back in the pocket of his tight jeans and Dan smirks. “Debated if Lando’s blood really smells that good or not.” 

Charles freezes immediately before he pushes Dan with one quick move out of the window. 

“Fuck off!”, he yells after him and Dan laughs, landing elegantly on his feet five meters below on the ground. 

“I wouldn’t dare to touch your boy.” Dan winks at him and Charles flips him off before he jumps after him, enjoying the short thrill of the fall. He lands on his feet as well, dusting his jeans off and grimacing when he sees that he landed with his trainers in some mud. He could’ve aimed a little bit better.

“But mate, you’ve seen him one time - you’re sure you’re in love?”, Dan asks while they start walking and Charles swallows, Lando’s face appearing in front of his eyes. Hears his laugh in his ears, sees his dimples in front of him, that short moment when their eyes had met-

“Yeah”, he says quietly before he jumps up on one of the trees, sitting down on a tree branch. “Yeah, I am.” 

Dan is next to him in milliseconds, putting an arm around his shoulder and Charles leans against him. 

As much as Dan annoys him most of the time, he’s still his favourite brother (not that he’d admit that to anyone, thank you very much) and he enjoys those rare moments of peace between them. 

Cumbria is stretched out in front of them and Charles takes a deep breath, trying to ban Lando from his thoughts for a moment. Dan is thinking about Max but he keeps his thoughts PG which Charles is grateful for and he doesn’t pry - it just makes him sad. 

Being the only one in his family who’s alone sucks and he’d never admit that to Lewis or anyone but he’s a bit lonely sometimes. And yeah, Lewis has tried setting him up with Pierre from Romain’s clan but the chemistry just wasn’t there on both sides. 

Pierre and he are good friends but that’s it and Dan pulls him a little closer, ruffling his hair - Charles is close to pushing him off the tree branch for that. 

“Dick”, he mumbles and Dan laughs. 

“You love me”, he answers amused and Charles snorts. “Depends. Will you help stop me from killing Lando if it gets really bad?” 

“Always.” Dan laughs and dangles his legs from the tree brunch. “Even though I _am_ curious about how his blood would taste-“

“You dick!” Charles pushes him from the tree branch but Dan seemed to have expected it, quickly turning and clinging onto the tree and pulling himself up again with a huge grin on his face. 

“Too slow.” 

“I hate you.” 

“Love you too, Charlie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did I mention that I will occassionally switch to Charles' POV? 👀
> 
> I actually don't plan on uploading every day but I don't have time tomorrow, so have an update :) 
> 
> next one will probably be Thursday or Friday 💛
> 
> Your support for the first chapter was absolutely amazing and you have no idea how happy it makes me to see that you all are as excited as I am for this - thank you so much for the support and the love 💛💛💛💛


	3. Chapter 3

Lando nearly gets a heart attack when he walks into the cafeteria for lunch on Monday and sees Charles Leclerc sitting next to his brothers, laughing and talking with them as if nothing ever happened. 

As if he wasn’t gone for the last two weeks. 

He looks up when he feels Lando’s eyes on him and Lando braces himself for the same amount of hate like last time - but there’s nothing but mild interest and some sort of curiosity in his, suddenly very golden, eyes. Strange. 

Did he just imagine the black eyes? 

No one has black eyes after all and he avoids his gaze, falling next to Sacha on their table. Well, Charles can fuck off and he suddenly dreads going to Biology after lunch. 

He’s really not keen on repeating their first encounter. 

Sacha walks him to Biology after, making him promise to join their PlayStation Party after school but Lando just nods, barely listening. The seat on the window is empty when he enters the classroom and Lando puts his stuff on the table, breathing out. 

Maybe Charles was able to switch classes and the thought bothers Lando more than he’d like to admit. But then he at least can go to his Biology classes in peace and- 

“Hello”, a soft voice suddenly says next to him and when Lando looks up, Charles Leclerc is smiling at him. He’s still sitting as far away as possible but his chair is turned towards him and Lando blinks, actually speechless. 

Is he _talking_ to him?! Smiling?! 

“I don’t think I had a chance to introduce myself last time... I’m Charles Leclerc.” Charles still gives him that absolutely breathtaking smile and Lando swallows dryly, collecting his thoughts. That fucker. 

“I know because you basically didn’t talk to me at all the last time”, he answers dryly and Charles blinks, taken aback. “I-“ 

“And then you disappeared for two weeks”, Lando continues, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He doesn’t want to be rude but seriously, what the fuck? He just wants answers. He _deserves_ answers. 

“Yeah, I was ... sick.” Charles looks actually confused and Lando nods slowly, somehow not believing him. “Suuure.” 

It’s quiet for a moment, Charles clearly not sure how to act and Lando sighs inwardly. He’s not an arsehole and Charles tried making an effort. He didn’t say sorry but he made the first step and he shifts a little on his chair. 

“I’m Lando”, he hesitantly says and Charles smiles again. “I know. I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Lando.” 

Oh, that fucking French accent. 

Lando involuntarily smiles back, forgetting momentarily that he’s still kinda mad - that is until he sees Zak handing out microscopes and boxes of slides to each table. 

Please don’t let them do group work, please don’t let them do group work- 

“Today, we’re doing some group work!” Zak looks excited while a groan goes through the class and Lando narrows his eyes. Please no. 

One look to Charles shows him that he also doesn’t look too happy but when their eyes meet, he’s smiling again and Lando’s stomach flutters. Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. 

Zak starts explaining that they have to separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represent and label them accordingly - without using the book. 

Great. Lando groans, burying his head in his arms and staring at the white table. He knows Zak by now, knows that Zak might be walking through the aisles but doesn’t really care what they do as long as they don’t burn the classroom down. 

It’s not even the task itself, Lando has done that in Madrid already and it’s actually quite easy. 

It’s that he has to work with Charles Leclerc for an hour now. 

“You want to start, partner?”, Charles asks with that attractive voice and when Lando looks up his smile is so beautiful that he can only stare at him like an idiot. 

“I can also start if you-“, Charles starts but Lando shakes his head and puts the first slide below the microscope, adjusting it slightly. He looks through the lens before he shrugs. 

“Prophase.” 

“Mind if I take a look as well?”, Charles asks and Lando raises his eyebrows but pushing the microscope over. “You don’t trust me?”

Charles just grins. “To be honest, no.”

“So you’re a Biology nerd.”

“We all need a hobby.” 

“And yours is Biology?!” Lando stares at him and Charles bites his bottom lip, shrugging. “No, but- anyway.” 

He looks into the lens before he nods slightly. 

“Prophase”, he confirms and Lando sighs. “That’s what I said.” 

“So why did you move here, Lando?”, Charles asks while switching the slides and Lando stares at him, a bit taken aback. He sounded sincere and that’s what overwhelms him a little. 

Charles is actually interested in him? Maybe he’s just polite. But still. 

“Why did you move here from Wales?”, he counters the questions and Charles grimaces. “Have you ever been to Wales? Too many sheep, too many hills and it’s boring as fuck - it’s not a vibe.” 

“And Brampton is, of course, the centre of the world.” 

“It’s at least in England.” Charles grins and Lando involuntarily laughs, shaking his head amused. 

They stare at each other for a moment, Lando’s stomach doing the thing again and Charles is the first one to avert this gaze, looking through the lens. 

“Anaphase”, he says and Lando raises his eyebrows. 

“Mind if I check?”, he asks and Charles grins. “Go ahead.” 

He pushes the microscope over, their fingers accidentally touching for a second and Lando flinches - Charles’ fingers are ice-cold. 

He blushes a little while looking through the microscope and nods, mumbling “Anaphase” while writing it down. 

“Mate, you’re freezing, do you need a jacket or so?”, he then asks and Charles stares at him confused. “What?” 

“Your fingers- nevermind.” Lando blushes and quickly changes the slides, facepalming himself inwardly. 

He’s such an _idiot_ , he shouldn’t be allowed to talk to boys he has a crush on. Wait. He does _no_ _ have a crush on-

“You never answered my question”, Charles asks when Lando pushes the microscope his way. “Why did you move to Brampton?” 

He scribbles down Interphase - he has pretty handwriting, Lando notices - and when he looks up, his brown eyes are soft. They look like honey and Lando swallows dryly, shrugging helplessly. 

“My Papá - not Jenson, Fernando - met this new guy, Mark. Mark is some Australian Rally driver and they’re moving to Australia at the end of the year so Papá can support him better. Travelling with him before settling down in some house on the beach.” He sounds a bit bitter and mumbles “Interphase”, confirming what Charles just wrote down. 

“That’s good for your Papá but doesn’t explain why you’re here.” Charles gives him a crooked grin, taking the next slide and Lando sighs. “He deserves to be happy and I haven’t seen my Dad in ages.” 

“Very self-sacrificing”, Charles comments and Lando narrows his eyes. “What’s wrong with that?” 

He’s getting defensive, he knows that but Charles has no right to judge him- 

“All I’m saying is that you should also make sure you’re happy.” Charles gives him another breathtaking smile. “And you don’t seem happy. Anaphase.” 

Lando is actually speechless and he wants to argue but Charles- oh for fuck’s sake. 

“I _am_ happy”, he says defensively, “and I didn’t know I asked you to psychoanalyse me.” 

“Sorry.” Charles gives him an apologising smile and Lando- look. 

Charles is gorgeous and has a French accent and his smile makes his heart skips a beat and he hates himself for it but then again, no one said he has a good taste in men. 

“So what exactly was your problem with me two weeks ago?” And no one said he’s good with small talk. Charles stares at him, actually at a loss for words and Lando raises his eyebrows while noting down the next Interphase.

“I was sick”, Charles says slowly. “Like, close to vomiting sick. I was scared that if I said something I’d puke on you.” 

Lando stares at him, not sure if he should laugh or scream - that was the absolute last thing he expected. Charles looks pretty sincere though and Lando blinks, not sure what to say. 

“That...is not what I expected”, he slowly says and Charles gives him a crooked grin, his dimples showing and Lando’s stomach drops. 

Fuck. 

“I’m really sorry if I was rude or gave you a bad impression of me”, Charles continues, voice soft and he hesitates before he comes a little bit closer. “That really wasn’t my intention but I promise, it had nothing to do with you.” 

They both ignore the fact that Lando caught Charles trying to switch classes - Lando suddenly doesn’t care that much anymore. Charles is genuinely _nice_ and he smiles tentatively. 

“It’s okay, it was just a shitty move, mate”, he says lightly and Charles bites his bottom lip, lowering his gaze and Lando tries his best not to stare too much at his long lashes. 

“Sorry, really. My Dad kept me home for two weeks after that but I promise I’m better now.” He gives him a small smile and Lando nods, scribbling down Anaphase on their sheet of paper. 

“Your Dad is the surgeon, right?”, he asks and Charles nods. “Yeah. He’s the best.” 

There’s a fond look in his eyes when he talks about his Dad and Lando smiles. “And you also have two Dads?” 

“Yeah, both are great. Dad’s British and Papa is German-Finnish.” Charles smiles while changing the slides once more and Lando debates how many personal questions he can ask. 

“You’re not British though, right?”, he asks carefully and Charles smirks. “My passport says yes, but actually no.” 

“So you’re French?” 

“Monegasque.” 

“Isn’t that the same?” 

“Do you want me to punch you in the throat?” Charles grins and Lando laughs, a warm feeling spreading through him. “Sorry.” 

They actually get along and when he looks to their slides he realises they’ve finished already - apparently way before everyone else. 

The group next to them across the aisle is comparing two slides again and again and another group has their book open below the table. 

Lando shifts on his seat, trying not to be too intimidated by the silence stretching between them and breathes out when Zak comes towards them. He takes a look at the worksheet before he sighs.

“Charles, don’t you think Lando should get a chance with the microscope as well?”, he asks and Charles raises his eyebrows. “He actually identified more than me.” 

Zak looks a bit sceptical and he turns to Lando, furrowing his brows. “Have you done this class before?” 

“Not with onion root.” 

“Whitefish blastula?” 

“Yeah.” Lando grins sheepishly and Zak laughs. “Alright, kid. It’s a good thing you two are lab partners then.” 

He leaves again, scolding the group using the book and Lando starts doodling on his notebook, trying not to stare too much at Charles. What the fuck, why- 

“So are you happy here or not?”, Charles asks again and Lando frowns. “What does it matter to _you_?” 

“That’s a good question”, Charles mumbles before he smiles again, shrugging. “Guess I just wanna get to know you.” 

What. 

Lando swallows dryly, hating himself for blushing again. 

“Cool”, he answers and hates himself even more. My god, he’s such an idiot. 

The ring of the bell saves him from more any more embarrassing small talk and Charles gets up just as gracefully as two weeks ago - except that he doesn’t disappear in mere seconds. 

He lingers at the table, giving Lando another smile and casually runs a hand through his messy hair. “So...see you?” 

It sounds a little bit insecure and Lando smiles as well, packing his things. “Yeah, sure.” 

“Cool.” Charles winks at him - fucking winks at him - before he disappears and Lando needs a moment, taking a deep breath. He just had a normal conversation with Charles Leclerc. The ‘mysterious weird guy’ who apparently normally doesn’t talk to anyone.

He talks with Alex, George and Sacha later that night about it, all of them being on Discord while playing Call of Duty together and Lando still has a hard time wrapping his head around that Biology class. What the fuck. 

“And he _talked_ to you?!” George sounds just as shocked and Lando nods, forgetting that the others can’t see him. “Yep.”

“Unrealistic, blocked”, Alex responds dryly and Lando snorts, killing one of the other guys with his sniper. “I wish man, it was so weird.” 

“What did you talk about?”, Sacha curiously asks and Land frowns. “Just basic stuff, what I’m doing here, his Dads but he’s quite secretive.” 

“That’s nothing new”, George comments and swears when he gets killed on screen. 

“He’s Monegasque though”, Lando says and Sacha laughs. “Good for him.” 

“I’ve _never_ seen anyone of them interact with other students”, Alex says incredulously. “Like? I think Daniel might have talked with a few students during group work before but the others?” 

“Yeah, they’re strange”, George agrees and Lando stares at his screen, his mind wandering back to Charles. 

Yeah, he’s a little bit strange. But he was nice today and Lando feels oddly protective of him - especially when he thinks of Charles’ smile. 

“They’re just different, doesn’t mean we have to judge them for it, right?”, he throws in while he heals Sacha onscreen. “I mean-“

“Could it be that you have a crush on Charles Leclerc?” Lando can basically see George’s shit-eating grin in front of his eyes and he rolls his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous mate, I just-“ 

“I wouldn’t blame you”, Alex interrupts him, “just maybe don’t get your hopes up.” 

“Yeah, there are quite a few people at our school who’ve tried their luck with him”, Sacha adds and Lando snorts. “I’m not gonna ‘try my luck with him’. He was just nice.” 

“Alright, alright, mate, no need to get all defensive.” George laughs and they switch the topic, talking about English Literature and Lando and Alex complaining to George and Sacha about Wuthering Heights. 

It’s only when Lando is in bed later that night, staring at the dark ceiling, that Charles’ smile shows up in front of his eyes again and his belly flutters. Maybe he’s falling for him but there’s nothing wrong with that, right? 

It won’t work anyway. 

Charles’ smile is the last thing on his mind before he falls asleep.

When he wakes up the next morning and looks out of the window, he can’t suppress a groan. It snowed again overnight (in _October_. Fuck climate change and fuck England, seriously). Lando hates snow more than anything and he narrows his eyes when he sees the ice on the street. 

Great. 

When he gets downstairs, Jenson has already left but there’s a message on Lando’s phone that he should drive carefully and he makes himself some cereal before falling down on one of the kitchen chairs, mindlessly scrolling through his Instagram. 

He’s suddenly excited to go to school and he knows it’s definitely _not_ because they will have another discussion about Wuthering Heights. It’s because he’s seeing Charles Leclerc and because they’re sitting next to each other in Biology. 

And Lando knows that this is very, very stupid. But a little crush never killed nobody, right? 

He slings his backpack over his shoulder, slides over the ice to his car, nearly falls on his arse and when he’s finally in the Ford, he breathes out in relief. Now he just needs to get to school without an accident. 

He drives slow, not pushing it and when he makes it to school, sliding into a free parking spot, he mumbles a quiet ‘Thank god’ before killing the engine. He gets out of the car but stopping at the back of it, frowning. 

Did he even pack his copy of Wuthering Heights? Fuck. He might not be into the book but he still prefers having his own book than sharing with Alex and he wants to open his backpack when he hears an odd sound. 

It’s like a loud screech that seems to come closer, getting louder and Lando slowly turns around. 

Suddenly, he’s seeing many things at the same time. Time doesn’t slow down like in movies, adrenaline shooting through his veins instead and he seems to take everything in way quicker. 

Charles Leclerc is standing next to his Ferrari four cars away, staring at him with absolute horror on his face - Lando doesn’t register if his siblings are next to him. The people around him also have a frozen mask of shock on their faces but Lando doesn’t have the time to recognise who they are. 

Of more immediate importance is the grey van that’s skidding, sliding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. It’s going to hit the back of his Ford and Lando is standing right between. 

He wants to react, run away, do anything but he can’t - he’s literally frozen in fear, panic spreading through him. He’s going to die, squished to death by a fucking van and he can’t help to think how fucking lame that death is. 

Just before the van hits his Ford though, crushing him, something hard hits Lando but not from the direction he was actually expecting it. He hits his head on the icy pavement, something cold and solid pinning him to the ground. 

Lando blinks but he doesn’t even have a chance to react or realise _what_ is pinning him to the ground because the van is still coming his way and Lando braves himself for the inevitable impact that’s going to come. And for the pain. 

Two hands are suddenly in front of him, the van shuddering to stop in front of Lando’s face, the large hands fitting perfectly into a deep dent in the side of the van’s body. 

Lando feels the hands move him quickly, pulling his legs away and Lando quietly groans, blinking - his head hurts so fucking much. 

It’s dead silent for a second and then the screaming starts. People are talking, yelling, Lando hears car doors that are being slammed but most importantly, most distinctively, he can hear the familiar French accent of Charles Leclerc. 

“Lando? Lando are you okay, can you hear me?” 

Lando groans, slowly opening his eyes and then he’s staring directly into Charles’ golden eyes. 

“Are you okay?”, Charles asks again, concern evident in his voice and Lando blinks. He’s wearing a pretty winter coat, he notices. 

What is he doing here?! He has been standing over there the whole time, how- 

“You were over there”, he mumbles, his gaze falling on the dent in the van. “How-“ 

“What do you mean, I’ve been standing next to you the whole time.” Charles shakes his head confused and Lando frowns, slowly sitting up. 

“We- no, you were over there”, he insists but Charles shakes his head again, jaw set. “Lando, I was right next to you.” 

He looks him deep into the eyes and though Lando’s stomach flutters, he holds the gaze.

“You weren’t!”, he refuses stubbornly. “You-“ 

“I was next to you and pushed you out of the way”, Charles interrupts him and Lando stares at him, not believing that Charles is straight-up lying to him like that. He wants to ask him if he thinks he’s stupid but there are people all around them, sirens in the distance and his gaze falls on Charles’ brothers. 

All of them stare at him with an absolute unreadable expression, something between disapproval and fury in their eyes but no hint of concern for their brother’s safety - Max is the only one who glares at him though and Lando gulps, averting his gaze. 

“Charles, you were by your car!”

“No I wasn’t.” 

“I fucking saw you, Charles, what-“

“I promise I’ll explain later, okay? But for now, can you lie for me?” Charles gives him a pleading look and Lando- look, he hit his head and he’s weak for that French accent. And for Charles in general. 

He nods and forces himself to smile when Alex, George and Sacha storm towards him, shock still on their faces. 

“Mate, are you okay?!” George sinks on his knees next to him, completely ignoring Charles and Lando grimaces. “I-“ 

The paramedics arrive, his friends backing away and Lando protests when he gets lifted on a stretcher but it’s useless. “I’m okay-“ 

“We need to check if you’re okay, dear”, one of the paramedics interrupts him with a kind smile before she turns to Callum who drove the van and is as pale as the snow. 

“Mate, I’m so fucking sorry, I-“ 

“It’s okay”, Lando interrupts him while Callum is also lifted on a stretcher, having some bruises and blood on his face. He looks like he’s close to crying and Lando wishes he could do something but then they’re in different cars on their way to the hospital and Lando catches himself thinking that he would prefer it if Charles was still with him. 

He _was_ at his Ferrari, four cars away, how on earth did he get to him so quick?! And how the fuck did he get a dent in Callum’s car? It all doesn’t make sense and Lando stares at the white ceiling of the ambulance, his head still hurting. 

Charles is lying to him and he doesn’t get why. 

He’s a little relieved to see that Charles is at the hospital as well even though he didn’t ride in the ambulance with them and Lando wants to say something when he sees his Dad storm towards him, a worried expression on his face.

Oh no. 

“Lando!” Jenson stops in front of him, he looks like an absolute mess and Lando feels actually guilty. He’s _fine_ and he wants to tell his Dad but then the paramedics get him in the emergency room. 

It’s a long room with various beds and Jenson sinks down next to him, cradling his face in his hands. “Are you okay, kid?”

“I- Dad, I’m fine, really.” Lando shakes his head annoyed which turns out to be the wrong action - his head still hurts like hell. He pulls a face and Jenson gives him an alarmed look, getting up. 

“I’ll look for a doctor”, he says and Lando wants to protest but then Jenson is gone and Lando groans. 

Charles is leaning against the wall like he owns the place, a smirk on his face and Lando ignores him, turning to Callum who’s still absolutely pale. “Are you alright mate? You look like shit-“

“I was so scared I was going to kill you”, Callum whispers, his eyes flickering through the room and he looks like he’s close to crying. “Lando, I’m _so sorry_ , I tried to brake but I couldn’t, I’m so sorry-“

“It’s okay, Charles, eh, he pushed me out of the way”, Lando interrupts him, forcing himself to smile and Callum shyly looks at Charles who ignores him, only looking at Lando. “Oh, I haven’t seen him- everything just happened so fast-“ 

Callum buries his face in his hands and Lando glares at Charles. 

“How come you’re not on one of these beds?”, he asks and Charles smirks. “It’s all about who you know.” 

He winks at him and Lando rolls his eyes, turning back at Callum who’s still looking absolutely devastated. Lando actually considers getting up to comfort him when the door opens again, a doctor walking in and Lando freezes.

He knows the man. That’s Lewis Hamilton, Charles’ _Dad_ and he- fuck, he has seen the picture of him on the hospital’s website but that's nothing compared to him in real life. 

He's absolutely, breathtakingly, beautiful. 

He gives Lando a warm smile, coming towards him and Lando can feel himself relax immediately, something about Dr Hamilton being incredibly calming and soothing. He has the same golden, honey-coloured eyes like his son and he quickly nods at Charles before turning to Lando. 

“Mister Button-“

“Lando”, Lando mumbles, blushing when Dr Hamilton’s smile widens. “ _Lando_ , how are you feeling?” 

“Fine, really, there’s nothing wrong with me.” Lando gives him his best convincing smile and Dr Hamilton raises his eyebrows, stepping closer. 

His cool fingers lightly touch along his skull, stopping when Lando winces. Fucking hell. 

“Does it hurt?”, he asks and Lando sighs. “Not really.” 

He glares when Charles laughs quietly - that traitor. 

“Well, your father is in the waiting room - so are your friends.” Dr Hamilton gives him another warm smile and helps him up, steadying him when Lando feels a wave of dizziness overcoming him. 

Just a bit of sleep and he’ll be fine. 

“Seems like you were incredibly lucky”, Dr Hamilton remarks while signing his chart and Lando shrugs. “Luckily, Charles happened to stand next to me. Apparently.” 

Holy shit he sounds salty but when he notices the quick look Dr Hamilton and Charles exchange, his suspicion that something is off only grows. 

He’s pretty sure Dr Hamilton is in on whatever is going on and he gives them one last look before he joins his Dad in the waiting area. Alex, George and Sacha are there as well, clearly relieved to see that he’s alright and after he promises to call them over Discord that night, they leave. 

“I had to sign some paperwork you should...call your Papá”, Jenson says while they walk along the hospital hallways and Lando sharply turns to him, ignoring the pain. “You told him?!”

Oh god, Fernando is gonna freak out. 

“I had to.” Jenson defensively raises his hands and Lando rolls his eyes, pulling his phone from his the pocket of his jeans - he has 10 unanswered calls and 30 messages from his Papá. 

Great. 

“I’m right back.” Jenson flashes him a quick smile when his phone goes off, hurrying down the hallway and Lando sighs, wanting to press on the Call button when something - or rather someone - catches his eyes. 

On the hallway to his left are Charles, Dr Hamilton and Max, the latter looking absolutely furious and they seem to discuss something. Lando stops dead in his tracks, his curiosity getting the better of him - they haven’t noticed him yet. 

“This isn’t just about you, this is about all of us!”, Max growls and Charles glares at him, arms crossed in front of his chest. “Well, what was I supposed to-“

Dr Hamilton spots Lando, stopping Charles with one look and he takes a deep breath. 

“Let’s take this to my office”, he says calmly and Charles and Max turn their heads as well, staring at Lando. While Charles just looks surprised, Max looks like he’s ready to kill him and Lando involuntarily takes a step back. 

What the _fuck_ is his problem now?! 

Max follows Dr Hamilton and Lando slowly goes towards Charles, his phone call to his Papá long forgotten. He still wants answers. 

“So?”, he asks casually and Charles raises his eyebrows. “So?” 

“Is your brother okay?” 

“Just worried about me.” Charles forces himself to smile and Lando doesn’t believe him one word. He nods along though and hesitates. “So? How did you save me?” 

“I told you I was standing next to you-“ 

“Do you think I’m fucking stupid?!” Lando stares at him incredulously and adds a “don’t answer that” when he sees the smirk around Charles’ lips. “I saw you standing by your car!”

“I- the adrenaline-“ 

“The adrenaline.” 

“Yeah! It’s a common thing, happens in movies all the time, you can google it!” 

Bet his arse he will and Lando narrows his eyes. “You were quick.” 

“Adrenaline truly is something else.” 

“Mhm.” They stare at each other and Charles sighs.

“Why is it so important to you? Can’t you just say thank you and move on?”, he bites out and Lando raises his eyebrows, a little taken aback by the sudden hostility. 

“Thank you”, he slowly answers, not sure what exactly Charles’ problem is. He notices that his hands are balled to fists again and he inwardly rolls his eyes. Maybe he should take some anger management classes, preferably with his brother. 

Or do some boxing. 

But now his mind wanders to Charles’ arms when he’s throwing punches and those muscles and- oh for fuck’s sake. 

“You’re welcome”, Charles presses out and Lando sighs. “You won’t tell me, will you?” 

“No. You won’t give up, will you?” 

“Nope.” They stare at each other until a small smile appears on Charles’ face. 

“Just look after yourself, yeah? Don’t get yourself killed”, he says dryly and Lando snorts. “First of all, it’s not my fault Callum nearly crushed me. And second, why do you care?” 

“Why shouldn’t I?” Charles looks back at him and Lando blinks, actually speechless. 

“I-“ He can feel himself blush and Charles grins. “Look after yourself, _chéri_.” 

He turns around, walking away and all Lando can do is dumbly stare after him, heart beating fast in his chest while his belly tingles. 

He- was he _flirting_ with him? Or is it a French - Monegasque - whatever - thing?! What the- what- Lando swallows dryly, shaking his head and taking a deep breath, slowly leaving the hospital. 

That is the first night he’s dreaming of Charles Leclerc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they talk + iconic parking lot scene! :') 
> 
> thank you all so much for the support honestly, it means so so much - next chapter will be Saturday 💛
> 
> 💛💛💛💛


	4. Chapter 4

“I hate school trips.” George groans, falling on the seat next to Alex and Lando grins, offering Sacha some biscuits while the other students flood the bus. George unpacks a thermos bottle, pouring himself some tea and raises his eyebrows when he sees their looks. “What? Mum packed me some tea.” 

“A school trip is better than being in the classroom all day”, Lando points out, deciding to ignore George and his tea (he’s so _British_ ) and Sacha nods. “And yeah, greenhouses are boring but at least we’re not alone.” 

“You’re sure you’re okay, Lando?”, Alex asks concerned, leaning against George. “I mean-“ 

“I am, don’t worry”, Lando interrupts him with a soft smile. “Just hit my head.” 

“And he still kicked our ass in COD last night”, George adds and Lando laughs. “You’re all just bad.” 

“Little shit”, Alex mumbles and Lando flips him off, broadly grinning. He does feel good and it helps that the day after this disaster they’re going on a school trip instead of sitting in a stuffy classroom. 

“You were so lucky Charles was there to push you out of the way, mate”, George comments at that moment and Sacha nods. “It could’ve ended so badly.” 

“Yeah.” Lando stares out of the window, the bus started to move and the green English countryside passes them. 

He quickly looks around if he sees Charles anywhere in the bus but he apparently is in the other one and he leans back, playing with the strings of his hoodie. He still can’t wrap his head around what happened and while George, Alex and Sacha debate about Liverpool's chances to win the league again this season, Lando chews on his bottom lip, deep in thoughts. 

He doesn’t know how but when they reach the greenhouse and wander through them, Zak explaining the flowers to them, he has lost Alex, George and Sacha and Lando wants to start searching for his friends when Charles suddenly appears next to him, giving him a tentative smile. “Hey.” 

“Hi.” Lando returns his smile, burying his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and they wander in silence through the greenhouse, looking at some plants but Lando is barely listening to Zak. He tries his best not to stare too much at Charles who’s wearing some Armani coat and Lando is pretty sure that’s not what you’d normally wear to a greenhouse. 

But then again, it’s Charles and he wears designer clothes to school every day - he really shouldn’t be surprised. Lando actually misses his school uniform a bit and nearly stumbles over a root on the floor, Charles catching him just in time. 

His fingers are, even though he wearing such a thick coat, still cold and Lando clears his throat, cheeks flushing. 

“Thanks”, he mumbles and Charles sighs. “Can’t you just watch where you’re going for once?” 

“What’s your problem?”, Lando counters, staring at him in surprise. “I get it, you regret saving me.” 

“I don’t- why would you think that?!” Charles looks at him confused and Lando rolls his eyes. “Because you’ve been quiet since you’ve magically appeared by my side half an hour again and then bitched at me for stumbling over a root.” 

“I- I’m sorry.” Charles bites his lip and Lando stares at him. “What?” 

“I’m sorry for being a dick”, Charles repeats, a small smile on his face. “But you should really stay away from me.” 

“Why would I?” Lando stares at him and Charles hesitates. 

“I might not be who you think I am”, he answers slowly. “Really, you should stay away from me.” 

“You’re ridiculous.” Lando snorts, ignoring a few boys who’re scaring some of the girls in the back with a worm on a stick (Charlotte looks like she’s ready to punch them in the face) and Charles stares at him. “Lando, I’m serious-“

“What, you wanna tell me you’re some bad guy? Mate, you saved my life, even though I still have no idea how.” Lando stares at him and a smirk appears on Charles’ face. “Do you have any theories?”

He looks actually curious and Lando runs a hand through his hair, pulling his bottom lip in. “Radioactive spider?” 

“Nope.” 

“Kryptonite?” 

“Nah.”

“Then I don’t know.” Lando throws his hands in the air, frustrated and Charles turns serious. 

“What if I’m not a superhero? What if I’m the bad guy?”, he asks quietly and Lando stares at him. Why is he so fucking cryptic? Does he think being mysterious turns him on? (It does but that’s not the point. It’s pretty annoying most of the time) Does he like to pretend to be a bad guy?

Lando doesn’t believe him one bit and Charles sighs.

“Look, I don’t know what exactly you saw-“

“You stopped that van, you pushed it away!”

“No one will believe that.” Charles snorts and Lando rolls his eyes, taking a sip from his water bottle. “It doesn’t matter! I wasn’t gonna tell anyone!” 

“Then why do you care?!” Charles stops, turning to him and Lando throws his hands in the air, frustrated. “I just do, okay?!” 

They stare at each other again, Lando’s stomach fluttering when Charles’ golden eyes seem to bore into him and he takes a deep breath. 

“Please, you can trust me”, he adds quieter and Charles swallows dryly. His hand is once again balled into a fist and Lando nearly rolls his eyes when he realises he won’t get an answer. 

“You’re dramatic, do you know that?”, he says dryly while they’re leaving the greenhouse and Charles actually laughs at that. 

“Yeah, my family tells me that at least twice a day.” He buries his hands in the pockets of his expensive coat and a small smile appears on Lando’s lips. “Good.” 

They walk in silence towards the busses until Charles suddenly stops, giving Lando a pleading look. “Just believe me when I say I’m not good for you, okay?”

“You should’ve thought about that before we became friends”, Lando answers exasperated and raising his eyebrows when Charles stares at him. “What?”

“We’re ... friends?” He seems clearly shocked and Lando is close to hitting his head against the bus. “Yeah. What I wanted to ask, are you up for a round of Call of Duty with me and the lads tonight?”

He has decided to completely ignore Charles’ ‘you should stay away from me’ phases and Charles blinks. 

“I- Call of Duty?”, he slowly repeats and Lando nods. “If you have a PlayStation.” 

“My brother has one”, Charles says hesitantly and Lando gives him an encouraging smile. “Good! Ask him if you can borrow it for the night, I’m giving you my PS handle.” 

He pulls his phone from his pocket, Charles still looks a bit overwhelmed and it’s probably because no one has ever made an effort to be friends with him. 

It breaks Lando’s heart a little and he gently nudges him. 

“Wanna give me your phone number?”, he asks and Charles quietly nods, mumbling a string of numbers while still looking unsure. Lando saves his number before he gives him a warm smile. 

“Good. I’m gonna text you, yeah?” Charles nods but before he can say anything, Sebastian shows up behind him and curiously eyes Lando. 

“Hey, are you going with us in our bus?”, he asks him and Lando blinks, actually overwhelmed that Sebastian is talking with him. He looks nice though, giving him a warm smile and Lando wants to answer when Charles’ face closes off. 

“No, our bus is full.” He disappears inside of it, pulling Sebastian along and Lando rolls his eyes, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and walking to his own bus.

He’s weird but that won’t stop him from befriending Charles Leclerc. And absolutely no one has to know that Lando might want a little bit more than friendship. 

Their game of Call of Duty that night is ... interesting, to say the least. Charles is good, really good and that’s definitely not what Lando would’ve expected after this morning. 

Especially after Charles announced in the beginning that he never played the game before. But he’s on the Discord with them, laughing and actually having fun and George, Alex and Sacha also seem to slowly warm up to him. 

It makes Lando happy, Charles sounding so much more carefree over Discord and he wishes he could hear his voice every day. Charles leaves around 9 pm, saying his brother wants his PlayStation back but he promises them to get his own. 

He seems to have genuinely enjoyed himself that night and Lando smiles dumbly at the screen even after Charles has logged out. 

“Never knew Charles Leclerc is so much fun”, George comments and Lando’s smile only widens. 

“Told you he’s a great lad”, he answers and Alex laughs. “That was definitely unexpected but really nice.” 

They keep talking about the school trip but Lando can’t stop thinking about Charles’ laugh. He knows he shouldn’t expect too much from school tomorrow - he’s 90% sure Charles is gonna ignore him again. 

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt when he walks in the cafeteria for lunch, Charles not sparing him a single glance and he falls down next to Sacha with a sigh. He considers talking about it but then he sees the happy smile on Alex’ face and he raises his eyebrows - George isn’t there yet.

“What happened with you?”, he asks and Alex bites his bottom lip, not being able to stop grinning. 

“I asked George if he wants to go to the Dance at the end of the year with me and he said yes”, he says and Lando stares at him for a moment before a huge grin spreads over his face, all thoughts of Charles’ momentarily in the back of his head. 

“Congrats, mate, told you he’d say yes!” He gives him an awkward half-hug and Alex’s smile is so bright it could illuminate the whole room. 

“Sorry I’m late, Mr Tost kept us longer.” George shows up next to him, a stressed look on his face that turns into a shy smile when he sees Alex, and Sacha waves dismissively, nodding on the free chair. “All good.” 

“What did I miss?”, George asks while taking a bite from his apple and Sacha grins. “We’re still not cool enough to be associated with Charles Leclerc in public and Alex got a date for the Dance.”

George immediately blushes and Lando sees from the corner of his eyes how he reaches for Alex’s hand below the table, squeezing it. Alex blushes as well, eating his potatoes and Lando rolls his eyes. 

“Charles is-“ 

“Don’t defend him now, mate”, George cuts in, giving him a pointed look. “It was good fun last night but he’s still ignoring us.” 

“He probably has his reasons”, Lando mumbles even though he has no idea what these could be. 

The conversation steers away from Charles but Lando doesn’t pay attention, subtly staring over to the Hamilton kids’ table. He flinches when he catches Charles looking at him and Lando stares back, actually confused. 

Daniel nudges him, giving him a pointed look and mumbling something Lando doesn’t catch - and how should he, sitting on the other side of the room -, Charles tearing his gaze away and focusing back on his untouched food. 

Lando frowns, taking a bite from his pizza - the food isn’t that bad. 

He takes his time after lunch, George, Alex and Sacha already disappearing to their next classes and when Charles shows up next to him, Lando raises his eyebrows. 

“You remember I exist”, he comments dryly and Charles sets his jaw, eyes unfocused. 

“I could never forget that”, he mumbles and Lando blinks but before he can ask (is that flirting or just weird) Charles keeps talking. 

“I also have to disappoint you but I won’t be in Biology today.” He gives him a crooked grin while they’re walking through the hallway and Lando frowns. “You skip class?!” 

“It’s healthy sometimes.” Charles winks at him and Lando stares at him confused but then they’re in front of the classroom and Charles waves at him. “See you, Lando.” 

He keeps walking and Lando shakes his head, sliding on his seat. 

What the fuck.

“Today, guys, we’re talking about blood!” Zak looks as excited as always and Lando’s stomach drops immediately. Oh no. 

He would never admit it but he can’t see blood and he already feels sick just thinking about it, what-

“We’re going to do blood samples, finding out what your blood type is! I’ve got these small needles, prick your finger and analyse the one drop of blood. I think you’re all responsible enough to not harm yourself severely-“

Lando feels the nausea build up inside of him and he takes a deep breath, gripping the edge of the table. He knows it’s just a small drop of blood but he really can’t stand it, hates the smell and Zak’s eyes wander over the class.

“Billy, can you team up with Lando? Seems like Charles isn’t here today.” 

“Sure.” Billy Monger slides on the free chair next to Lando, giving him a warm smile and Lando forces himself to smile back. Billy is nice, a bit shy but nice and he tries his best not to show his panic. 

“Do you want to start or should I?”, Billy asks while picking up the small needle and the disinfectant. 

“You go ahead”, Lando mumbles focusing on the white table in front of him and hating his life more and more with every passing second. 

“Okay.” Billy gives him a soft smile before pricking himself in the finger and letting the drop of blood fall on the slide Zak handed out earlier. Lando forces himself to look and feels so fucking ridiculous - he’s not a goddamn vampire after all. 

It’s just one drop of blood and- 

Oh, he can feel the nausea washing over him. 

“Are you okay, mate? You’re incredibly pale.” Billy looks genuinely concerned and Lando wants to say something but his head is spinning and he feels dizzy. 

The metallic smell of blood fills the room and his stomach revolts against the pizza from lunch, he feels sick and Billy signals Zak over. “I think Lando isn’t feeling-“

Lando jumps up, managing just in time to storm out of the classroom and the second he’s in the hallway, he empties his stomach in one of the bins. It’s embarrassing, humiliating and probably one of the worst days of his life and he’s panting, supporting himself with one hand on the wall. 

He closes his eyes, sweat on his forehead and fights against the second wave of nausea. Maybe something was wrong with the pizza as well. 

“Too well”, Billy finishes his sentence and when Lando turns around, Billy and Zak are standing in the doorway to the classroom. Zak closes the door so they’re alone and Lando takes a deep breath, feeling like shit. 

“Sorry”, he mumbles, feeling the heat in his cheeks. God, this is so embarrassing. He still feels like shit though, wishing he had skipped class as well and he leans his forehead against the cool wall. 

“There’s always one each year”, Zak mutters. “Billy, can you bring Lando to the nurse, make sure he’s okay?” 

From the corner of his eyes, Lando sees Billy nod, still looking worried. “Of course.” 

He steps forward, carefully slinging an arm around his waist and steadying him, Lando giving him a grateful smile. They make a stop at the bathrooms, Lando washing out his mouth before they head towards the nurse and Billy shooting him worried looks the whole time.

“I’m sorry, mate, really-“ 

“Billy, you didn’t know”, Lando interrupts him, his voice still a little weak while they enter the nurse’s room. “Really.” 

“What are you doing here?” 

Lando flinches when he hears the familiar voice behind him, turning around to see Charles at the doorway. He looks worried, his eyes flickering from Billy’s arm around his waist back to Lando’s pale face and he sets his jaw. “Are you hurt? What-“ 

“He got sick in Biology, mate”, Billy quietly interrupts him and helps Lando sit down on one of the stretchers. “Vomited in one of the bins in the hallway.” 

'Well, thanks for nothing Billy', Lando thinks bitterly and adds a quick “but I’m okay!”

Charles doesn’t look convinced and when the nurse shows up, introducing herself as Mrs Pinkham and quickly checking him over, Lando relaxes a little. Mrs Pinkham is nice, not older than 40 and she gives him some water before looking at Billy and Charles. 

“Are you two okay?”, she asks, there’s a motherly undertone in her voice and she smiles when both nod 

“Well, guess there’s always one each year who can’t stand the blood”, she says cheerfully before she hands Lando some chocolate. “Here, that should normally help. Mr Monger, Mr Leclerc, you can both go back to class-“

“I’ll stay with Lando, Billy can go back it’s okay”, Charles interrupts her with a soft voice, giving her a breathtaking smile. “I’m gonna make sure he’s alright.” 

Mrs Pinkham stares at him for a second before she shrugs. “Okay, dear, you’ll handle that with Zak then.” 

“See you, Lando.” Billy slides from the other stretcher, giving him another shy smile and heads for the door. 

“Thanks, Billy!”, Lando calls after him and Billy smiles at him one more time before he leaves. 

“Take a walk if you want but don’t leave the school grounds.” Mrs Pinkham gives them a stern look and Charles nods, giving her another charming smile. “We would never.” 

“Good. Take care of yourself, dear.” She smiles at Lando before disappearing in her office in the back and Lando suddenly is alone with Charles. 

He fidgets with the chocolate bar in his hands, deciding to unwrap it just so he has something to do and after hesitating another moment he offers it to Charles. “Do you want some?” 

“No thanks, I’m not hungry.” There’s that forced smile again on Charles’ face and Lando narrows his eyes, taking a bite from his chocolate bar. 

“You haven’t eaten during lunch though”, he points out, only realising after what he just said. He blushes, taking another bite from the chocolate and avoiding Charles’ eyes. “Not that I’ve been watching you-“

“Of course not.” Charles sounds amused and Lando rolls his eyes. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you wanted to skip.” 

“I am skipping.” Charles nods towards the door, a small grin on his face. “You wanna get out of here?” 

“Yeah.” Lando jumps from the stretcher, giving himself a moment to let the dizziness pass and follows Charles out in the fresh air. It’s not raining for once but the sky is clouded and they aimlessly walk around the school grounds, Lando breathing in the fresh air.

“So you faint when you smell blood.” Charles sounds amused and Lando glares at him. “I didn’t faint.” 

“True, you vomited.”

“I hate you.” 

“No, you don’t.” Charles sounds suspiciously cheerful and Lando narrows his eyes, glaring at him. “Well, why didn’t you go to class then?” 

“I didn’t want to get any blood on my hoodie.” Charles shrugs and Lando stops, staring at him incredulously. “Bullshit, it’s a tiny drop-“ 

“That made you vomit. And my brother told me there was this one incident last year with a lot of blood.” 

“You are absolutely ridiculous.” Lando snorts and sinking on the sidewalk, Charles squatting down next to him. “Mate, do you know how hard it is to get blood out of Gucci?” 

“Oh my god”, Lando mumbles and against his will, he starts laughing. Charles looks pretty satisfied with himself and gives him a crooked smile. 

“Billy wasn’t sure if he could leave you alone with me”, he comments with a grin and Lando raises his eyebrows. “You don’t know that.”

“Ah, I’m normally pretty good at reading people.” Charles winks at him and Lando snorts. “Yeah?” 

“Mhm. Except with you.” Charles frowns, his eyes directly looking into Lando’s and Lando bites on his bottom lip, trying to ignore his stomach fluttering. 

“Well I also can’t read you”, he comments dryly. “So I guess we’re even.” 

Charles looks like he wants to say something but then he shrugs and Lando puts his head back, staring at the grey sky. 

He forgot he still has Spanish after Biology and he’s not really sure if he wants to go - he actually just wants to go home. Wants to go in his bed with a cup of tea and sleep. 

“You think you can get me out of Spanish?”, he asks, not really expecting an answer but to his surprise Charles jumps up immediately, nodding. “Sure!” 

He pulls him up, Lando blinking confused (his hand is still so cold, what-) and quickly follows Charles to Mrs Pinkham’s office. Okay, what the-

“Mrs Pinkham?” Charles gently knocks on the door before he enters, Lando staying back, staring at him with wide eyes. “You think I can take Lando home? He has Spanish with Cyril after this but I don’t think he looks too good...” 

His voice is like melted honey and Lando stares at his back, feeling strangely drawn to him - he can only imagine his eyes right now. Mrs Pinkham actually _giggles_ and nods, signing a piece of paper. “No problem. Do you need an excuse as well?”

“No, I have Mr Binotto and he doesn’t mind. Thank you though.” Charles gives her a warm smile before he turns around, still smiling. “You’re coming?” 

“Yeah.” Lando swallows dryly and gives Mrs Pinkham a small smile before they leave to the parking lot but when he wants to go to his Ford, Charles’ hand curls around his arm. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”, he asks, mild irritation in his voice and Lando raises his eyebrows, trying to ignore the tingling in his belly. “Home?”

“Didn’t you hear that I told Mrs Pinkham I’d take you home?” Charles stares at him and Lando groans. “Mate, I thought you just said it to get us out of there! I’m perfectly able to drive-“

“You vomited after you saw one tiny drop of blood!” 

“And you didn’t even show up for one tiny drop of blood!” 

They glare at each other again, Charles’ hand still on his arm and Lando takes a deep breath. “I can drive, I-“

“I’m taking you home”, Charles insists and Lando rolls his eyes. Why is he so fucking stubborn?

“What about my car?“, he asks him, a challenging undertone in his voice but Charles just shrugs, taking his hand away and unlocking his Ferrari. “I can ask Seb to drop it off at yours after school.” 

“But-“

“Just get in the car, Lando.” 

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Lando glares at him while getting in the car anyway - it has started to rain and he doubts he can beat Charles when he starts running towards his car. 

“Good boy.” Charles grins while starting the engine and Lando bites hard on his bottom lip, trying to ignore the shiver that’s running down his spine. Fucking hell. 

“Can I ask you something?”, he asks to distract himself and Charles nods, leaving the parking lot and steering on the road. “Sure.” 

“So you’re adopted...” 

“Yep.” 

“What about your parents?”, Lando asks carefully and he notices how Charles’ grip around the steering wheel tightens. “Lewis and Nico are my parents.” 

“I’m sorr-“

“And my biological ones died a long time ago.” Charles gives him a crooked grin and Lando clears his throat, feeling his cheeks heat up. 'Well done, you moron', he chides himself, 'what a way to start the conversation'. 

“I’m sorry”, he says again, voice quiet and Charles shrugs, eyes focused on the road. “I don’t remember them much, to be honest. Lewis and Nico have been my parents for a long time now.” 

“And you love them”, Lando concludes and Charles smiles. “Very much.” 

They stay silent after that, Lando watching the rain pour down outside and he feels like a complete dick. Bringing up the boy’s dead parents, what a way to get to know someone. 

“Thanks”, he mumbles when Charles drives in the driveway of his house, not even thinking about the fact how Charles knows where he lives. 

“Absolutely no problem.” Charles gives him a warm smile and he hesitates. “Seb will bring you your car later, yeah? Look after yourself.” 

“I will.” Lando gives him a weak smile before he exits the car, Charles waiting until he’s inside before he drives off and Lando takes a deep breath before bringing his stuff upstairs. That was ... something. 

“I heard you fainted in Biology today.” He’s at dinner with Jenson, his Dad giving him a worried look and Lando snorts. “I didn’t _faint_ , I vomited.” 

“Does that make it better?” Jenson gives him an amused look and Lando can’t hold back the grin that’s spreading over his face. “No. I just hate the smell of blood. Charles drove me home.”

He doesn’t know why he added the last part and Jenson raises his eyebrows surprised. “Leclerc?” 

“Yeah.” Lando blushes and Jenson gives him a warm smile. “He’s a good kid. I was a bit worried when they moved into town, I mean, five teenagers and young adults? But they’re really well-behaved, never had any trouble with them.” 

“Yeah, Charles is quite alright”, Lando mumbles while picking in his food and his Dad nods. “I thought so much. But no wonder with Dr Hamilton as a father.” 

And there is his crush again. Lando hides his smile behind his glass and he video calls his Papá after dinner, falling on his bed. 

“Lando, _cariño_ , are you alright?” Fernando has a big grin on his face, he’s outside and it looks like they’re on the terrace - there’s sun in the background and Lando feels a pang of jealousy. God, he misses the sun. 

“Yeah. It’s raining, can you believe it?” He’s speaking Spanish but the sarcasm is evident in his voice and his Papá laughs, brown eyes sparkling. “I actually can. Is it bearable? You can still come back-“

“No, it’s- it’s fine”, Lando interrupts him quickly, pulling his legs up and staring at the ceiling. 

“Really. I made friends”, he adds in an attempt to calm his father and Fernando’s smile widens. 

“That’s great, Lando! What are their names?” 

“George, Alex and Sacha...and Charles.” Lando doesn’t know why he listed Charles as well but hey, they are friends, right? Somehow. 

His Papá nods, clearly trying to show him he cares and Lando tells him a bit about his classes and his life in general - not that he has much to do here. 

“How is living with your Dad?”, Fernando asks quietly after Lando is finished and Lando hesitates. 

“...okay”, he then says slowly, eyes wandering over the pictures on the wall. “You know how he is.” 

“Married to his work, eh?” Fernando gives him a crooked grin and Lando has the sudden urge to be hugged by his Papá. God, he misses him. 

“Yeah.” He swallows dryly and forces himself to smile. “But it’s okay, really. We always have dinner together. And sometimes breakfast.”

“That’s good.” Fernando smiles and runs a hand through his hair, his gaze turning soft. “I miss you around here, _cariño_. My phone suddenly switched itself off during the night!” 

“Yeah because it installed a software update, Papá.” Lando rolls his eyes but he’s smiling and a lump is forming in his throat. 

“Miss you too”, he adds and Fernando wants to say something when Lando hears a voice with a thick Australian accent in the background. 

“Are you ready for dinner, baby?” 

Fernando hesitates and Lando waves dismissively. “Go, I’m gonna text you, yeah? Greet Mark from me.” 

“I will.” Fernando turns the phone slightly so Lando can see Mark, standing at the door in a white dress shirt, car keys in his hand and he waves at him. “Hey, kid. All good?” 

“Yeah.” Lando smiles at him and Fernando turns the camera again, his face back on Lando’s screen. “See you soon, _cariño_. _Te quiero mucho_.” 

“ _Te quiero, Papá._ ”

Fernando hangs up and Lando falls back in the pillows, fighting the homesickness that’s slowly settling in him. 

When he wakes up the next morning, he’s nearly shocked to see that it’s a) not raining and b) he can actually see the sky and his mood improves drastically. 

He is smiling when he goes down for breakfast later that day, wearing a simple T-Shirt even though it’s October (he will take a hoodie with him, just in case, but there’s _sun_ ) and Jenson laughs when he sees him. 

“Make the best of it”, he says while reaching for his jacket and Lando grins. “I will.” 

“Do you want anything for your birthday next month?” Jenson turns around as if he just remembered and Lando freezes, staring at him. 

Fuck, he completely forgot he turns 18 in less than two weeks. 

“Eh...just some pizza and an evening playing PlayStation with Alex, George and Sacha is fine”, he says slowly and Jenson nods. “Alright. Have a good day at school.”

He leaves and Lando stares at his cereal. How could he forget that he turns 18 so soon?! Goddamnit. 

His good mood is unbroken though and he’s shouting along to some old song on the radio when he drives to school, happy he gets to wear his sunglasses for once. 

When he parks his car though and instinctively searches for the red Ferrari like every morning (yeah he knows how pathetic that is), he can’t find it anywhere and he frowns. That’s strange. 

He also doesn’t see the dark blue Aston Martin or the black Mercedes and when he goes to his Biology class, Charles isn’t there. His brothers and he are also not at lunch and Lando tries to hide his disappointment when he walks to Spanish with Sacha.

“Isn’t it a bit strange that all five of them are sick at the same time?”, he whispers to Sacha when they fall on their seats - he normally really doesn’t like gossip but he needs to talk about it with someone. 

And Sacha knows anyway who he means.

“They all have some kind of sun allergy”, Sacha explains quietly. “Just like Dr Hamilton’s husband. They apparently chose to only adopt children with the same condition because they know how hard it is.”

A sun allergy?! Lando stares at him, blinking confused. “How do you know?” 

“A friend of George’s mum is a nurse at the hospital and works with Dr Hamilton.” Sacha shrugs, running a hand through his hair. 

“Dr Hamilton and his husband always take their kids camping when the weather is good”, he adds helpfully, keeping his voice low though - they all know how much Cyril hates talking in his class. “So they get out of the house and they’re staying in cloudy areas of course but they don’t want the kids to miss out on anything.” 

“That’s...” Lando stares at Sacha dumbfounded, that’s the last explanation he expected and Sacha giggles. “I know, I’m so jealous. I wish _my_ parents would take me camping every time the sun is out but then again, I’m also not allergic to it.” 

He writes down some conjugated verbs and Lando copies them instinctively, mostly in his thoughts. He’s still a little disappointed and he doesn’t want to judge but he really can’t imagine Charles being someone who enjoys camping.

Especially not after the blood samples incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: the school trip scene was only in the movie but not in the book and the biology blood class was only in the book but never made it into the movie - I loved both so yeah sdkdkfjdf
> 
> also big thank you to everyone who's leaving comments and kudos! you all really make my days a whole lot better and I'm sending you all so much love 💛💛💛💛💛


	5. Chapter 5

It’s November and while Charles’ and his conversations have mostly been small talk in the last few days, Lando is still excited to see him every day at school. It’s ridiculous and stupid and so fucking pointless but he can’t help himself. 

So when he comes into the cafeteria with Alex and doesn’t see Charles sit with his brothers, he tries to hide his disappointment and instead falls on his chair, picking in his food. 

“You’re coming, Lando, right?”, George asks him and Lando looks up, staring at him confused. “...what?” 

“To the beach!” Alex’ eyes are shining and Lando still doesn’t get it. “Mate, it’s fucking _November_ -“

“Yeah but it’s quite chill there”, Sacha throws in, a small smile playing around his lips. “We’re hiking a little, having a BBQ, some of the guys wanna do surfing and so on. Just have a good time, get out of here.” 

To be honest, getting out of Brampton for a while sounds actually really good and Lando nods. “Okay, sure, where are we going?” 

“Parton Beach.” Alex gives him a warm smile, pulling up his phone. “It’s quite a drive and super empty but it’s okay.”

“Sure.” Lando smiles, he doubts it will be anything like the beach his Papá and he always went to during the summer in Valencia but it’s better than nothing and the thought of leaving the town for the weekend actually gets him excited. 

“Great, Billy is also coming and- why is Charles Leclerc staring at you?” George frowns and Lando blushes immediately, turning around. Charles is sitting at a table alone, a tray of food in front of him and when Lando looks at him, he grins. 

Lando looks to his brothers and he takes a deep breath when he feels Max’ glare on him. Great. But Charles is still looking at him, a soft smile on his lips and Lando decides in a split second. 

“I’m- we- see you later?”, he says hesitantly and Alex grins. “Just go.” 

Lando picks up his tray with food, giving them one last smile and then walks through the row of tables towards Charles. He can feel the stares of the others on him but he tries his best to ignore them, just looking at Charles and sitting down across from him. 

“Hi”, he mumbles and Charles grins. “Hi. Do you mind if you have lunch with me today?” 

“I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?”, Lando counters and Charles grins. “And yet you still came to me.” 

“Couldn’t let you sit here all alone, you’re already weird enough”, Lando counters dryly and runs a hand through his hair. “What happened that you’re not with your brothers? Did they refuse to be seen with you in that outfit?”

He refuses to turn around but he can feel their stares in his back - at least they can’t hear what he’s saying. Charles stares at him for a moment before he looks at his Versace sweater, a black bandana holding back his messy hair and he shrugs, taking a bite from his pizza.

“I’m the only one with style in my family - next to my Dad.” He’s still grinning and in a surprisingly good mood - Lando has no idea what triggered it. Charles’ eyes are a light gold today, he looks relaxed for once and when he smiles at Lando, Lando actually forgets how to breathe for a second. 

“I hope your friends don’t mind that I’m borrowing you”, Charles comments amused and Lando turns around to see Alex, George and Sacha stare at him. He rolls his eyes before he turns back to Charles, shrugging. “They’ll survive.” 

“What if I don’t give you back?” Charles smirks and Lando’s mouth goes dry, heart beating faster. “I-“ 

He stops, shaking his head. “What do you want?” 

“I thought we’re friends. Friends have lunch together”, Charles points out and Lando blinks. “Yeah but you also told me multiple times you’re a bad person and I should stay away from you.” 

“Which you ignored.”

“Still, what changed it?” He just can’t let it be but Charles is a fucking mystery and he’s intrigued. Charles grins, taking a bite from his pizza. “I’ve decided to be egoistical - I don’t want to stay away from you. My advice still applies but I really enjoy your company.” 

He grins at him and Lando’s heart beats faster. Okay, this is unexpected.

“That’s ... cool, I guess?”, he says slowly and Charles nods cheerfully. “Am going to hell anyway, might as well do it properly.” 

“Yeah, I mean, same.” Lando shrugs and laughs when he sees Charles’ shocked look. “Mate, I’m gay - I don’t know if you’ve noticed but being gay doesn’t work particularly well with going to haven. Or religion in general.”

“Oh. Yeah, of course.” Charles forces himself to smile and Lando raises his eyebrows. 

“If you’re going to tell me one more time that you’re a bad guy I’m going to throw that pizza in your face”, he threatens him. “You’re not bad, okay? Yeah you’re a dick and you can be incredibly rude but you’re not _bad_.”

Charles looks a bit taken aback by his honesty before he laughs, dimples showing. 

“I’d love to see you try that with the pizza, _chéri_.” He winks at him and Lando’s belly flutters, a blush creeping up in his cheeks. 

“You’re an idiot”, he mumbles and takes a sip from his water bottle. 

Charles just grins at him and he looks so young for a moment, so carefree that Lando wishes he could save that moment forever. 

“We’re going to the beach this weekend - Alex, George, Sacha, Billy and a few of the other lads - and- and I wanted to ask if you might want to come? Hang out with us a bit?”, Lando blurts out, still blushing. “It will be fun.” 

Charles looks surprised, a small smile playing around his lips and he seems to actually consider it. “What beach?”

“Parton Beach.” Lando swallows when Charles’ smile lessens a little and he clears his throat. 

“Eh- I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it”, he says and Lando frowns. “Is something wrong with that beach?” 

Charles hesitates and Lando sees him exchanging a look with his brothers who are all staring at them now. Lando doesn’t get what’s going on and he wants to ask when Charles turns back to him, forcing himself to smile. 

“It’s just a little crowded.”

The beach is completely empty when they pull up Saturday morning and Lando stares at the waves crashing against the shore, the salty ocean air filling his lungs. He feels like he can finally breathe for the first time in months and he follows their group along the beach. 

He can see a few people walking their dogs in the distance, small houses are cosied against each other on the shore and a few fisher boats are lined up a few hundred meters away from them. 

They’re quite a big group, a lot of guys from school joined them, with them a few girls - Lando recognises Dilara and Charlotte from his English Literature class and he waves at them, smiling when both wave back excitedly. 

They’re nice and he really likes them. 

They wander along the beach, chatting and sharing snacks and sit down a bit later in a big circle. Someone makes a small fire for the BBQ in the middle, it’s a clear day without clouds in the sky and Lando enjoys the bit of sun on his face. 

To his surprise, they run into Carlos and a few of his friends and Lando laughs when Carlos' eyes light up when he spots him, jogging towards him. 

“Landoooo!” He picks him up, spinning him around and hugging him excitedly. “What are you doing here, mate?” 

“Needed to get out of Brampton for a bit.” Lando grins and they sit down next to each other, no one paying them much attention, everyone mingling. 

“What a coincidence!” Carlos looks genuinely happy to see him and Lando smiles, accepting some snacks Billy just handed him. He knows Carlos lives close by, his school being in Carlisle and he hasn’t seen him since they brought him the Ford. 

“I’m surprised to see you without Charles Leclerc, Lando”, one of the guys - Mick, Lando remembers - suddenly comments and Lando blinks confused. “What, why?” 

“Looked like you’ve grown quite close in the last few weeks.” Mick has a shit-eating grin on his face and Lando blushes, cursing Mick internally. Really now? 

“The Hamilton kids don’t come here”, Carlos says harshly, his voice making it clear that this is not up for discussion and Lando frowns. He said they don’t come here but it has sounded more like they’re not allowed which is ridiculous - this is still a free country. They can go wherever they want, right? 

“Do you know him?”, he asks quietly and Carlos’ face hardens. “Yeah.” 

Lando stares at him, taken aback by the open hostility and Carlos clears his throat. 

“You should really stay away from him”, he says quietly, switching to Spanish and Lando raises his eyebrows. Suspicious. 

“You wanna walk for a bit?”, he asks, sticking with Spanish and gesticulates at the empty beach - the others don’t pay them much attention anymore. Carlos hesitates before he nods, exchanging a quick look with a tall guy that has introduced himself as Esteban before. “Sure.” 

They leave, Carlos protectively putting a hand on the small of Lando’s back and they stroll along the wide beach, Lando trying his best not to slip on the wet pebbles. It’s quiet between them, the sun still shining and Lando chews on his bottom lip, trying to come up up with a good way to start this conversation. 

“So what’s your problem with Charles?”, he asks when they’re out of earshot of the others. “He’s actually really nice and fun.” 

Direct seems like the best approach for this and the sticks with Spanish, actually enjoying talking to a native speaker again for once. 

Carlos grits his teeth, taking a deep breath before he leads him to a driftwood tree, sitting down with him - he still keeps his arm protectively around him and Lando doesn’t miss how warm he is. What a difference to Charles. 

“You know my people are a little superstitious, right?”, he asks with a crooked grin and Lando grins. “Yeah.”

His Papá is one of the most superstitious people he knows - he doesn’t know if that’s a Spanish thing or just his Papá. Lando still avoids walking below ladders and has a bad feeling on Friday the 13th though. 

No need to take unnecessary risks or push his luck. 

“Do you like scary stories?”, Carlos suddenly asks and Lando shrugs. “I guess? Why?” 

“We have a lot of legends floating around here.” Carlos starts playing with the strings of his hoodie and gives him a quick look. 

“My community here. They reach back hundreds of years, that some of us are descending from wolves and that they’re still our brothers.” He smiles and Lando wants to say something but Carlos keeps talking, staring at the ocean. 

“Wolves mean a lot to us - not really the Spanish but the people from my community.” 

“I didn’t know wolves still existed in the wild in Britain.” Lando frowns and Carlos smiles. “They do. And we are very active in protecting the few we have left.”

It’s quiet for a moment, just the waves crashing on the shore breaking the silence and Lando takes a deep breath, inhaling the salty ocean air. He wants to ask what this has to do with Charles when Carlos continues talking. 

“There are also myths and legends about other things. Witches, fairies, ghosts. And then there are the stories about the _cold ones_. Vile creatures who look like humans but paler. Immortal, feeding on the blood of humans.” His voice drops a little lower and Lando snorts. “You mean vampires?” 

“Our people call them cold ones.” Carlos shrugs, not looking at Lando. “Apparently my great-grandfather met some of them over a hundred years ago. Hunted them and kept them off our territory. But then a new one came, claiming to be different - to not hunt humans. Apparently he was because my great-grandfather made a treaty with him to keep him off our land.” 

Carlos snorts, disgust clearly visible in his eyes and Lando stares at him incredulously. He wants to call him out for that bullshit, wants to laugh, do something but the way Carlos tells him the story- he’s intrigued. 

“You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf - or not the wolf but rather men that can turn into a wolf. Werewolves. My people.” Carlos grins and Lando raises his eyebrows. “And what has Charles to do with that?” 

“If you believe my great-grandfather, he’s a cold one - or a vampire, as you’d say. Immortals who drink people’s blood.” 

“That’s ridiculous.” Lando snorts and Carlos shrugs, looking back at the ocean. “Told you it’s just a scary story.” Lando nods, goosebumps forming on his arm anyway and Carlos gives him a worried look. 

“Look, it’s just legends and myths but in everything, there’s a bit of truth and...I heard some pretty nasty shit about them - so just stay away, yeah?” He gives him a warm smile, his chocolate brown eyes seeming to look directly at his soul and Lando forces himself to smile back. “Sure.” 

As if. 

His mind instinctively wanders back to Charles’ honey-coloured eyes and he can’t help but compare them to Carlos’. He prefers Charles’ ones and he closes his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. 

“So? You think we’re some crazy people with weird legends who judge people?”, Carlos jokes and Lando grins. “No, I think it’s a good story. But I doubt anyone in 2020 will believe you, mate. Vampires and werewolves...they don’t exist.”

“I thought so much.” Carlos laughs before he hesitates. “Just...don't tell your Dad all of this, yeah? He was already pretty mad when he heard that a few of my people rather go to Carlisle and Newcastle to the hospital than to Dr Hamilton.” 

That’s strange but Lando just nods, waving dismissively. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell him anything.” 

Carlos gives him a grateful smile before he pulls him up. “Come on, I’m pretty sure your friends are missing you already. But really, Lando: you should stay away from Charles Leclerc.” 

**CHARLES**

“You’re such a _fucking_ idiot!” Max is absolutely fuming, pacing through the front room and Charles glares at him. “I was just being nice!” 

“Nice?! You are going to get us all killed!”

“Look, just because we had lunch together-“ 

“You are unbelievable! The biggest idiot there is!” Max glares at him and Charles narrows his eyes. “You’re talking to yourself?” 

Max looks like he’s ready to throw him out of the window and Dan puts a calming hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. 

“Charles, Lando’s not one of us”, he says quietly. “You have to be careful.” 

“I am, okay?! He has no idea what I am.” Charles crosses his arms in front of his chest and Lewis sighs, massaging his temples. 

“You had lunch with him?”, he asks and Charles shrugs helplessly. He just wanted to spend some more time with him, without his brothers or Lando's friends around. 

“He’s genuinely nice to me, we’re friends!” 

“You can’t- oh my god.” Max throws his hands in the air, clearly frustrated and Nico’s face softens. “Friends?” 

“Yes.” Charles sinks on the sofa and ignores Max who still looks like he’s ready to kill him - but then again when doesn’t he. 

“Kimi kept an eye on him and said Lando is alright”, Nico throws in, running a hand through his blonde hair. “That he’s...pure.” 

He gives them a crooked grin and Lewis nods. “And Seb didn’t have any visions regarding him either.” 

“Yeah because they’re fucking idiots”, Max mumbles and Lewis sighs. “I’m sure Charles knows how crucial it is to keep our secret hidden.” 

“Does he though? Then why did he stop that van? Or skipped Biology with him? Or drove him home? Or-“ 

“Enough, Max”, Lewis says, a warning undertone in his voice. “It’s okay. Can’t you two stop fighting for just one fucking minute?!”

“It’s not my fault my brother is a fucking idiot!” Max shakes his head incredulously and Charles freezes when he hears Max’s thoughts.

_‘I should’ve killed him in the hospital.’_

“No you shouldn’t have!” He glares at him and Max raises his eyebrows. “I just want to protect my family and _stop reading my mind_!” 

“And that’s valid, baby”, Dan reassures him and Charles snorts. “Thanks for nothing, Dan, really. Don’t you dare and touch him, killing Lando won’t solve anything!” 

“You wanted to do what now?!” Nico turns to Max, actually speechless and Dan sighs. 

“We talked about it after the ... van incident in the hospital”, he says slowly, having one arm around Max, pulling him closer. “Max was worried.” 

“I told him No and that it’s not a solution”, Lewis adds, shaking his head. “It wouldn’t help anyone if the Chief’s son is suddenly found dead. And you know that, Max.” 

“Yeah well, you can get your own fucking PlayStation”, Max mumbles and Charles sighs. “Look, I promise, Lando won’t find out what we are but I’m just happy, okay? I like him.” 

“You love him”, Dan corrects him and Charles bites his lip. “Yeah. That too.” 

“Lovely. Simply lovely.” Max gets up, shaking his head incredulously, anger clearly visible in his face. “You’re so _fucking_ stupid, Charles.” 

He jumps out of the window, Charles knows he’s going hunting and Dan sighs before getting up as well. “I’ll try to talk to him.” 

He’s gone in a blur, the silence stretching between them and Charles wishes Kimi and Seb were here. But they’re out hunting as well and Lewis chews on his bottom lip, staring at his MacBook. 

“I talked with Carlos - the wolves have nothing to do with all the murders”, he says and Nico nods slowly. “I thought so much. They might be stupid but not _that_ stupid.”

“Lando is in their territory today”, Charles says, shifting nervously on the sofa. “He- like they’re all going to the beach and he asked me if I wanted to come as well and that it would be fun and of course I said no but- what if-“

“They won’t get him, Charles”, Lewis says quietly. “The wolves won’t allow any other vampire on their territory.” 

“Still”, Charles mumbles and Lewis looks back at his MacBook. “The murders are also slowly drawing in closer - did Seb see anything?”

“Just some visions of three visitors, but they’re merely shapes and they haven’t made up their mind yet.” Nico frowns and Lewis nods slowly. “Okay, that’s strange. We’re keeping an eye on it, I just hope they don’t get to town.” 

Charles wanders off after that, letting his two Dads discuss and he tries to distract himself with his phone - it doesn’t work. He hates that it bothers him that Max is pissed at him. They’ve always had tension, always argued but they’ve also always gotten along somehow and he knows how much they all mean to Max. They’re the family he never had and he falls down on his bed, pulling his legs up. 

He does not need to sleep but he just finds a room without a bed uncomfortable and he sighs when a grumpy looking Max suddenly appears next to him. He smells like blood and Charles raises his eyebrows. “What? You’re here to yell some more at me?”

“I wanted to”, Max admits dryly while flopping down next to him, reaching for the blanket. “But Dan said I can’t. And- look, I really don’t get why you wanna be friends with a human but you do you I guess. As long as it’s just friendship.”

“Yeah.” Charles stares out of the windows into the forest, lost in thoughts. He knows he won’t see Lando again after these two years in sixth-form - they’ll both go to university and that will be it. Separate ways and all. And yeah, he might be in love with him but even he knows that a relationship can’t work. 

There are way too many risks, the FIA, the threat of being exposed, getting his family killed- he doesn’t even want to think about it. And he doesn’t have to because Max does it for both of them and he drowns his thoughts out, focusing on the birds chirping outside. 

“Does this mean I can use your PlayStation again?”, he asks, forcing himself to grin and Max snorts. “You might want to practice a bit before that, you’re really shit. We can play some Warzone later if you want though.” 

“Dick.” Charles pushes him from the bed, Max catching himself easily and quite gracefully before he flips him off, leaning against the door. 

“Mate- you know this can’t work, right? He can’t find out what we are, no matter what.” He has a serious look in his eyes, an urgent undertone in his voice and Charles swallows dryly, nodding. “Don’t worry, he has no idea. And he’ll never know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I genuinely enjoy switching to Charles' POV from time to time :')
> 
> and Lando does seem to get more and more suspicious even though he doesn't believe Carlos 
> 
> sending you all so much love 💛💛💛💛💛


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone telling him to stay away from Charles Leclerc - including Charles himself - doesn’t help Lando’s curiosity at all. Something is weird about Charles and it’s not the fact that he always hangs out with his brothers or wears expensive designer clothes to school. 

It’s past Lando's 18th birthday which he celebrated with Alex, George and Sacha, some pizza and his PlayStation at his house (Charles hadn’t been at school that Friday, the sun had been out and he was camping - again. Lando had tried not to be too disappointed about that) and it’s autumn in Cumbria. 

Charles and he still talk in Biology, he joins them on PlayStation sometimes and Lando should leave it be with that. They’re friends, Charles is nice to him, that’s all he ever wanted. 

Or at least that’s what he tells himself. 

There’s still his stupid crush and he can’t stop thinking about Carlos’ story about the ‘cold ones’ - or the vampires - and he pushes his homework away, pulling his laptop closer. 

He can still write his book report on Oliver Twist later but right now he wants answers. He hesitates for a second, fingers hovering over the keyboard and he decides against googling for ‘cold ones’. 

That would most likely just bring him back to the story Carlos told him at the beach a few weeks ago. 

He instead types in keywords like ‘pale’, and ‘doesn’t eat’ and after he clicks through a few illnesses and articles like ‘Are you Anemic?’ he groans in annoyance. Just for fun he searches for vampires and scoffs when he reads through the Wikipedia article. 

Yeah, sure. As if Charles is a vampire. 

It’s fun though and actually quite interesting and he reads through the whole article before he researches a bit more, Charles always in the back of his mind. 

Charles, who’s not eating anything during lunch in the cafeteria. Whose hands have been cold every time they accidentally touched. Who saved his life, pushing the van out of the way with nearly superhuman strength. 

Charles, who’s eye colour seems to change from nearly black to honey-gold and denying it every time Lando asks him about it. 

Charles, who’s ‘allergic to the sun’ and doesn’t come to school on sunny days. 

Charles, who keeps telling him he’s dangerous and that Lando should keep his distance. 

Look, if he goes by these signs of course one could assume that Charles Leclerc is a vampire. Lando’s only problem with that is that it’s 2020, vampires don’t exist and he doesn’t believe in scary stories.

Maybe Charles takes drugs? It would definitely explain a few things and Lando chews on his bottom lip, pulling his legs up and hugging them. But then why all that strange behaviour with his brothers? He doubts all of them take drugs and his Dad is a _doctor_ for fuck’s sake. 

It doesn’t make sense and that frustrates Lando. 

He ends up in a forum where people talk about experiences with the supernatural and while he really doesn’t believe them (of course your dead father advised you to buy strawberries instead of raspberries, Karen) it’s fun and Lando feels drawn to it. 

And it’s also so ridiculous. 

Is he actually considering that Charles is a vampire? In 2020? What is he, some naive superstitious person? 

‘Carlos thinks he’s a vampire’, a small voice reminds him and Lando rolls his eyes, playing with his pen.

“Carlos can shut up”, he mumbles, shaking his head annoyedly and he keeps reading. Some people apparently saw ghosts, others claim to have talked with the spirit of their dead relatives and then - Lando nearly chokes on his Red Bull he was sipping on - there’s this guy who apparently met a vampire. 

_‘Super scary dude, man. Pale as fuck, red eyes and I swear he wanted to kill me, suck my blood!’_

“Sure, James”, Lando mutters but he keeps reading, unable to stop. 

_’Wasn’t my first encounter with these bloodsuckers. They’ve been around for quite a while and sometimes they let you live - they enjoy playing with their food.’_

Lando - and mind him, he doesn’t believe in these stories - involuntarily gets goosebumps and he takes a deep breath. This is ridiculous. What is wrong with this poor man? 

Whoever he saw, he’s pretty sure it wasn’t a vampire and Lando wants to close the forum when he sees the comment from another guy. 

_’apparently there are a few who don’t kill humans, supposed to have golden eyes. I’m hosting a Talk about supernatural beings in Newcastle this weekend, would love it if you guys show up! Bring your lads!’_

Well. He _is_ going to Newcastle this weekend with Alex, George and Sacha but- okay, no he is definitely not going there. But- it’s just a Talk, right? And he can still leave if it’s stupid. And it’s in a bookshop so he can always pick up some random book and claim he’s here for that. 

But he definitely won’t ‘bring the lads’. George would never let him hear the end of that and Lando sighs, closing his tabs before deleting his browsing history. Not that he’s paranoid but he still feels a little stupid and he groans, massaging his temples.

Vampires, yeah sure. As if. 

Charles is gorgeous and mysterious and a dick but he’s definitely _not_ a vampire and Lando pulls his copy of Oliver Twist closer, mindlessly flicking through the pages. 

He lives in the age of science, people have been walking on the moon, they managed to clone animals (and probably humans as well) and change the structure of DNA strings - surely scientists would’ve found out if vampires existed by now, right? 

On the other hand, 95% of the ocean is still unexplored and Lando takes a deep breath. Vampires don’t exist and he’s not some 14-year old teenage girl who wants to be turned into a vampire just because she’s seen The Vampire Diaries and has a crush on Damon Salvatore. 

Maybe Charles has a drug problem and he somehow dragged his brothers into this. 

He’ll still go to that Talk but just out of curiosity. To make fun of some poor lad who apparently makes money with that shit. But there are also people who believe in God and the Devil so- yeah no, he’s not going into that right now. 

Lando yawns, it’s already dark outside and his gaze wanders through his room. He’s been here for over two months now and it’s probably just the town slowly making him go insane. 

Still, Charles is beautiful. And his dimples and that French accent- oh god, he’s so fucked. 

Lando groans, falling on his bed and hugging a pillow, taking a deep breath while his dick twitches. Charles’ smile- it does things to him and Lando hates it. 

And he wishes he could say he’s ashamed that he thought of Charles Leclerc the last few times he jerked himself off but- look, again, no one says he has a good taste in men. 

And if it turns out that he’s attracted to some drug junkie- well. Again, bad taste in men. 

He debates if it’s worth to jerk off to Charles again but he still has to finish that book report on Oliver Twist and he knows his Dad is going to call him for dinner soon. 

Still. 

He can’t stop thinking about Charles and it annoys him so fucking much. 

God, maybe he should just confront him - but you can’t ask people if they have a drug addiction, right? Or if they’re a vampire. And he would never admit it anyway. 

My god, why does this have to be so fucking complicated.

Saturday after lunch he’s on his way to Newcastle with Alex, George and Sacha, George driving the truck from his Dad, and Lando is mostly just happy to get out of town for a bit. 

Newcastle is quite a big city with roughly 300,000 people living there and he leans back, watching the English countryside pass them. He kinda misses London, his Papá and Dad always took him there when he was a child for weekend trips, showing him the museums, parks and shops and Lando had loved it. 

His favourite trips had always been the ones to the Science Museum, especially the Space Exhibition. He misses those days, looking at the moons and stars while holding his Papá’s hand, his Dad explaining things and he pushes the wave of sadness back, focusing on today instead. 

Newcastle is alright as well and he knows George and Alex want to look for suits for the Dance before doing some window shopping and going for dinner later that day.

The Talk is at 5 pm and Lando has no idea how he should explain to his friends that he _needs_ to go there alone - because there’s no way he’ll take them with him.

“I, eh, need to head to some bookshop before we go for dinner, just getting something for my essay”, he says and Alex frowns. “What exactly?” 

“Just some research and my Dad asked me to pick something up as well.” Lando waves dismissively, he feels bad for lying to them and Sacha smiles. “Okay sure, where is it?”

“Eh...” Lando pulls out his phone and checks the address. “Downtown but you don’t have to come, really.” 

“You sure? It’s no bother, mate.” George gives him a concerned look before focusing back on the street, apparently, they're worried he'll get lost but Lando shakes his head. “It’s appreciated but it won’t take long.”

“Alright.” Alex shrugs, playing with his phone in his hands. “Anything you guys wanna see in particular?” 

“Mate, I just want to get a decent suit in a proper shop.” George snorts but there’s a fond look on his face when he looks at Alex and Sacha clears his throat.

“I read that there is a Christmas market already, we could go check that out as well if you want to?” 

“Already? It’s the end of November.” Lando raises his eyebrows and Alex grins. “Start early, have a longer period of profit.”

“Don’t we love capitalism”, Sacha mumbles and they all grin, George parking the car in a free parking spot. 

Newcastle is crowded, it’s a Saturday afternoon and they head for the tailor first, Lando doing his best to advise them - not that he knows much about suits. 

“Are you going to the Dance with anyone, Lando?”, Sacha asks while they look at George who’s wearing some green blazer right now. 

“You mean if I have a date?” Lando tries not to blush and he laughs nervously, shaking his head. “I don’t dance, I doubt I’ll go.”

“Really? You never had a boyfriend before?”, George asks, switching to a blue blazer and Lando shrugs. “I’ve had a few dates but that’s it.”

“So you’re a virgin?” George gives him a curious look and Alex sighs. “Mate, we all are. Well, except Sacha.”

“Alex!” Sacha blushes deeply and Lando raises his eyebrows, slowly turning to his friend with an incredulous look in his face. 

“I was drunk and in London for the weekend and ended up in Soho and- yeah. I have no idea what happened.” Sacha’s face is as red as the curtain of the changing room behind him and George giggles. 

“So no date for the Dance, Lando?”, he asks him and Lando shakes his head. “No.” 

“Because Callum is telling everyone he’s going with you.” Sacha bites his lip and Lando stares at him. “No I don’t?!”

“Told you it isn’t true”, George mumbles to Alex before looking at Lando. “Yeah, that’s mostly why Mick doesn’t like you that much.”

“I’m not going to the Dance with Callum!” Lando shakes his head, he can’t help that he’s slightly annoyed and Sacha grins. “Yeah, why would he go with Callum? Lando fancies Charles.” 

“Charles? Charles Leclerc?!” George stares at him and while Lando blushes - how _the fuck_ does he know - Sacha rolls his eyes. “No, Charles Pic- _of course_ Charles Leclerc!” 

“You two did get close”, Alex remarks and Lando stares at them. “I don’t- I was being _nice_ , I don’t-“ 

“Sure and I’m straight”, George interrupts him dryly. “Mate, now that they mention it...it’s obvious.”

Lando takes a deep breath, his cheeks still red and he sheepishly runs a hand through his hair. “Okay but- I mean, we are just friends, he- why would he be interested in me?!” 

“So you are in love with him!” George grins triumphantly and Lando groans, burying his head in his hands. There’s no use in hiding it and they’re his friends, right? 

“Yeah, maybe. But he doesn’t- he’s not interested in me!” 

“That’s bullshit.” Sacha gives him a soft smile and leans back. “I’ve never seen Charles talk with someone as much as with you. Or see him smile as much as around you.” 

“But like- there are so many rumours about them, even Carlos told me I should stay away from him!” Lando chews on his bottom lip, he doesn’t even know why he suddenly brings that up. He’s not someone who normally listens to rumours but he can’t stop thinking about the story Carlos told him. 

“He was the dude we met on the beach, right?“, George asks and when Lando nods, Alex grins. “He’s probably jealous.” 

“Jealous?!” Lando raises his eyebrows and Sacha shrugs. “He seemed very possessive of you.”

“Yeah we’ve known each other since we were kids but...jealous??” Lando still doesn’t really get it and George shrugs. “You know how people get, mate. And I mean, Charles _is_ good looking.” 

He quickly looks to Alex but Alex just nods in agreement, not looking bothered at all by George‘s statement.

“I get what you see in him, he’s really handsome.” He grins and Lando takes a deep breath. “So Carlos is jealous.”

It’s not a question, more a statement and Sacha nods. “Yeah, I think so. Why don’t you just ask Charles if he wants to go to the Dance with you? I doubt he’ll say no.”

“Yes, just ask him”, Alex agrees and Lando shrugs, heart beating faster. “You’re sure? Don’t you think he would’ve asked me already if he wanted to go to the Dance with me?”

“No, because he’s as socially awkward as you”, George replies dryly. “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, mate, but Charles Leclerc is normally not very social.” 

“And he is always looking at you!”, Sacha adds and Lando plays with his fingers, giving them a hesitant look. “So you think I should ask him?” 

He definitely does _not_ want to ask Charles but when all three of his friends nod- maybe they’re right. Maybe Charles would actually say Yes. And it doesn’t have to be the stupid Dance in case Charles isn’t into dancing - they can also have a normal date. 

“Okay.” He smiles tentatively and George pats his back, grinning broadly. “Good. So, the black or the blue blazer?” 

They spend another hour in the store before they move on and Lando excuses himself, heading towards the bookshop. They’d agreed to meet for dinner later, some burger restaurant and Lando hesitantly opens the door to the shop.

He’s the only one next to two other dudes, both sitting on the chairs prepared for the talk and Lando quickly heads towards the shelves, pretending to be interested in some meditation guide while keeping an eye on the small stage.

It’s not even a stage, just a small desk with a chair and a microphone and when a man steps forward, Lando frowns. He doesn’t look at all like he imagined some crazy lunatic who talks about vampires and he watches how the guy sits down, shuffling some papers in front of him. 

He looks like he’s in his mid-thirties, he has dark hair and a dark beard and he gives the two men sitting in the rows a tentative smile. 

“Good evening, I’m happy you showed up. Means a lot, really.” He has a Scottish accent and he looks nervous - Lando’s eyes fall on the bookshop owner behind the cash who stifles a yawn. 

“So. Vampires. Eh, my name is Paul di Resta but you can call me Paul.” The guy blushes and Lando blinks, totally confused. “So first things first, I don’t wanna accuse anyone of being different and if you recognise yourself in my story - please don’t kill me?” 

He gives them a sheepish grin, the audience - the two men - looking back with a blank expression and Paul clears his throat. “Anyway. I have a degree in History and Archaeology from the University of Edinburgh and I’ve always been fascinated with the supernatural - especially vampires.” 

He looks ashamed and Lando feels bad for judging him before - vampires might not exist but the guy is just passionate and curious. And he seems nice enough, not like some freak. 

And don’t they all need a hobby? 

“Two years ago - I was living in Cardiff at that time - I was out in the woods, hiking and it was pretty late already. I wasn’t really keen on spending the night outside and it was a cold December night - don’t ask me why I even went hiking in the first place, I dealt with a harsh break-up at the time and- anyway. But that was where I saw _him_ for the first time.” 

Paul gives them a crooked grin, running a hand through his hair. 

“He looked like a boy, not older than 20 with pale skin, dark, messy hair and golden eyes, his clothes way too fancy for hiking. He- he didn’t try to kill me. Or eat me. But there was blood on his chin, he was standing next to a dead deer and he seemed confused.” 

Paul chews on his bottom lip and Lando stares at him, speechless. The boy Paul described- he sounds exactly like Charles. But- it can’t be, right? 

_‘Moved here two years ago from somewhere in Wales.’_

“I should’ve called the police of course but something about that boy- I don’t know, I felt enthralled.” Paul shakes his head, nervously playing with his fingers. “And then from one second to the other, he was gone and I’ve never seen him again.”

Lando has long forgotten about the book in his hands and he slowly sits down on one of the chairs, staring at Paul who keeps talking about his theories and possibilities but Lando doesn’t really listen. 

Charles- no, it can’t be. It _has_ to be someone else, this is absolutely ridiculous. He would never- Charles next to a dead animal?! After all the drama about one drop of blood on his Gucci hoodie-

“What caught me off-guard was that his eyes were golden”, Paul says and Lando’s head snaps up. “During my research, I gathered that a vampire's eyes are normally red. But this boy- it got me thinking that there might be a different kind of vampires? Maybe - and this is just a theory gathered by the dead deer next to him - they don’t hunt humans but rather animals?” 

One of the men gets up and leaves without another word and Paul bites his bottom lip, looking insecure. 

“I’m just saying- shouldn’t we accept them then? Shouldn’t we welcome them in our community if they truly are different?” 

He keeps going on about vampires but Lando doesn’t listen anymore, not really interested in the rest of Paul’s talk. All he can think about is Charles in some forest in Wales two years ago and he takes a deep breath. 

After Paul is done - the other guy also left halfway through - Lando takes all his courage and walks towards him, giving him an insecure smile. “Can I ask you something?” 

He completely lost track of time but when Paul looks up, a hopeful smile on his face, Lando doesn’t care. He needs to know if that was Charles or not. 

“The boy you saw- what was he wearing?”, he asks carefully and Paul frowns. “Some black bandana and a hoodie from Burberry I think, why?” 

“A white one?” 

“Yeah, why?” 

Lando feels like he can’t breathe and he forces his heart rate to calm down - surely there are more idiotic rich kids who go hiking in Wales in a white Burberry hoodie with a black bandana. 

“Did the guy have dimples?” 

“I don’t know, he looked mostly shocked and like I caught him but I think so, yes. Why?” Paul gives him a sceptic look and Lando forces himself to smile. “Just curious, I’m writing this vampire novel and, eh, yeah. Wanted to make it accurate. Ha.” 

My god, he’s still so bad at lying. 

Paul seems to buy it though and nods, giving him a friendly smile. “Sure thing, I hope it works out.” 

“Thanks, mate. Really enjoyed the Talk.” Lando gives him one last smile before he drops the fucking meditation guide he’s still holding on a free chair and he nearly flees from the shop, taking a deep breath when he’s outside. 

It’s dark by now, the air cold and he pulls his scarf a little tighter around his neck, shaking his head. What the _fuck_?! This is ridiculous, absolutely impossible and Lando nervously bites on his bottom lip. 

_Vampires don’t exist._

But maybe Charles was - is - really on drugs and he did kill a deer in his drug haze? Lando has no idea how drugs really work but it’s possible, right?

He hasn’t even noticed that he started walking aimlessly and he groans when he’s next to a few empty warehouses at the docks next to the river. Great, he has no idea where the fucking burger place is and he’s pretty sure George, Alex and Sacha are worried as fuck by now.

He wants to pull his phone from his pocket to check his messages and Maps when he hears footsteps. He gets goosebumps and slowly turns around, two men stumbling towards him, babbling and shouting some slurs - they're clearly drunk. 

Lando’s heart rate picks up and he nervously licks his lips but just when he wants to move back he hears voices behind him as well and he swallows dryly. 

“Hey!”, one of them yells and Lando’s blood freezes. 

Shit. 

He slowly starts walking towards the warehouses, ignoring the shouts from the men and he can feel chills running down his spine. He quickens his pace, panic gripping him and he holds on a little tighter to his phone. 

Maybe if he calls his Dad- 

“Hey!” Out of nowhere one of the guys appears in front of him, an angry expression on his face and Lando flinches back. “What do you want?!” 

He’s supposed to sound strong and fearless but to be honest, he’s scared shitless and one of the guys laughs. “Come on, don’t be like that.” 

His hand is suddenly on Lando’s waist and he panics, breath hitching in his throat. 

He can feel tears build up in his eyes and he tries to remember what his Dad taught him about self-defence. He _could_ knee one of them in the balls but he’s helplessly outnumbered and he swallows dryly, pushing the guy’s hand away. 

“Don’t touch me!”, he hisses, stepping back until his back hits the wall of the warehouse and the guy laughs lowly. “Oi, he’s feisty.” 

He wants to touch him again and Lando rams his knee up in his balls, the man groaning and falling to the ground. 

“You little bitch!” One of his friends lunges for him but Lando manages just in time to dodge him and curses himself internally. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck, that was stupid and- 

There suddenly are the headlights of a car, it comes towards them with incredibly fast speed, nearly hitting one of the guys and Lando manages just in time to get out of the way. He needs help, he needs-

It’s a red Ferrari. 

The car stops with the passenger door open just a few feet away from him and Lando’s heart is in his throat.

“Get in, now”, a harsh voice commands him and Lando acts without thinking, slipping on the passenger seat. “What the _fuck_ -“ 

He’s shaking, slamming the door behind him and when he looks to the right, Charles’ has a murderous expression in his eyes. 

It’s dark in the car, the only light coming from the dashboard and Charles spins the Ferrari around, tires squealing and he drives off, nearly hitting one of the men. 

“Put on your seatbelt”, Charles commands and Lando obeys immediately, hands still gripping the seat though. His heart is beating fast in his chest, Charles is racing through the dark street and ignoring four stops signs, his grip around the steering wheel so tight that Lando is surprised it doesn’t break. Not that that’s possible. 

He takes a deep breath and looks back at Charles, studying his flawless features in the minimal lightning he has. His jaw is set, Lando has never seen him angrier and he swallows dryly. 

“Are you okay?”, he asks with a hoarse voice and Charles snorts, taking a sharp left turn. 

“No”, he answers curtly and his tone is livid - he looks like he’s ready to murder someone. 

Lando’s brain slowly catches up with the events and he starts shaking, throat incredibly tight. He flinches when Charles throws him one of his hoodies without a word and Lando silently pulls it around him. 

He has no idea where they’re going but he also realises that he doesn’t care - he trusts Charles. Trusts him and feels safe with him and the smell of Charles’ hoodie calms him.

“Lando?”, Charles suddenly asks his voice tight and controlled. 

“Yeah?” 

“Are you alright?” Charles is still not looking at him and Lando takes a deep breath, leaning back in the leather seat of the Ferrari. Houses pass them quickly on the outside, he has no idea where they’re going and the shaking slowly lessens, him still clutching onto Charles’ hoodie. 

It’s a white Burberry one. 

“I think so”, he croaks and from the corner of his eyes, he sees Charles nod. “Distract me please.” 

“What?” 

“Just talk about something unimportant until I calm down”, Charles clarifies, eyes still fixated on the road and Lando tries to come up with some bullshit. 

“So Sacha is not a virgin anymore? And I might murder Callum on Monday”, he starts and while Charles’ face is still mostly plain his mouth twitches. “Why?”

“Well, he tells everyone he’s going to the fucking Dance with me - ‘s probably why Mick doesn’t like me.” Lando snorts and there’s the hint of a grin on Charles’ face. “Oh yeah, I heard about that.” 

“ _You_?!” He really doesn’t want to sound so judging but- how come every fucking person in this school knew except Lando himself? 

“Yeah anyway, he’s an idiot”, Lando mumbles and he runs a hand through his hair. “I- what are you even doing here?!”

He knows Charles said he should distract him but he’s never been good with listening to what other people told him and he’s curious. 

“I was in town and saw you walk off alone. I worried.” Charles parks the car on the side, leaning his head back and staring at the dark ceiling. It’s quiet for a moment and Lando nervously shifts on his seat. 

“What’s wrong?”, he asks quietly and Charles hesitates. 

“I have a problem with my temper sometimes, Lando”, he whispers and when he looks out of the window, his eyes narrow. “But it _wouldn’t_ be helpful for me or anyone to turn around and hunt down those...”

He doesn’t finish his sentence but he doesn’t have to - Lando knows exactly what he wanted to say.

“Or at least that’s what I’m trying to tell myself”, Charles continues, voice low and Lando stares at him. “They’re not worth it!” 

“You don’t know what they’ve been thinking!” Charles stares at him and Lando snorts. “Neither do you!”

“It wasn’t that hard to guess.” Charles shakes his head incredulously and Lando bites his lip, taking a deep breath. Seeing Charles so protective...it’s such a change from normal but he can’t deny that he likes it. 

“George and the others are probably worried”, he mumbles and he frowns when Charles wordlessly starts the engines again. “What-“

“I’m taking you to your friends”, he says quietly, the city passing by and Lando sighs, not even questioning how Charles knows where he has to go. He’s still halfway cuddling with the hoodie, remembering Paul’s story suddenly. 

His grip on the hoodie tightens and he tries to stay calm - he’s mostly tired. Tired and done and cold and he blushes when his stomach grumbles. Great timing, really. 

“I’m inviting you for dinner”, Charles says absentmindedly and Lando raises his eyebrows. “You really don’t have to, I’m not-“ His stomach growls again and Lando sighs. “...hungry.” 

“Sure.” Charles just parks the Ferrari right in front of the burger place and Lando jumps out of the car when he sees George, Alex and Sacha leave. 

“Lando!” Alex is the first one who spots him, pulling him into a tight hug and giving him a worried once over. “Are you okay, mate? We were so worried!” 

“I- I’m fine.” Lando lets himself be hugged by George and Sacha as well and he blushes. “Just lost track of time and then got lost but luckily I ran into Charles.” 

He gesticulates to Charles who’s leaning against his Ferrari, looking like some goddamn fashion model and his friends turn around, staring at him. 

“Charles”, George manages to say and they all let go off Lando immediately. 

Why Lando doesn’t know.

“Would you mind if I take Lando for dinner?” Charles has that fucking smooth, soft voice again, using his whole charm and all three stare at him speechless. 

“Eh, no, go ahead”, Alex says and Sacha nods, blushing. “We already ate while we waited, I’m sorry, Lando!”

“No, it’s okay.” Lando sighs, glaring a little at Charles and George grins. “Text us when you’re home, mate.”

“Yeah, have fun.” Alex grins and they disappear down the street. 

Lando rolls his eyes and Charles gives him a tentative smile. “Come on, you’re freezing.” 

He opens the door to the Burger restaurant for him and Lando follows him wordlessly. 

He knows by now that Charles is just as stubborn as he is and he tries not to be jealous when he sees Charles unleash his full charm on the poor waitress. She’s a blushing and stuttering mess when she leads them to their table and Lando rolls his eyes when he falls on his chair. 

“You really shouldn’t do that to people”, he mumbles, ignoring that he’s still clutching on to Charles’ hoodie - it gives him an odd sense of comfort. “It’s hardly fair.” 

“What?” Charles grins and Lando snorts, leaning back in his chair. “Oh come on, you can’t tell me you don’t know what effect you have on people!” 

“I do?” Charles gives him an innocent look and Lando is close to flipping him off but then the waitress comes back and before Lando can say something, Charles orders them two cokes and some burger. 

“It’s a good one, Dan recommended it to me”, he says when he sees Lando’s puzzled look and Lando nods slowly. “Okay.”

They’re quiet for a while, the waitress first bringing them their drinks and then their food and Charles hesitates when she’s gone again. 

“I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if- if you went home with George, Alex and Sacha”, he confesses quietly. “I was so close to going after them to rip their heads off.” 

“Mate, I appreciate it, really, but that wouldn’t solve any problems!” Lando stares at him before he starts to somehow gracefully eat his burger - and fails. Going for burgers on a date is definitely a bad idea and- this is not a date. 

This is- whatever this is and Lando flinches when Charles’ long, cold finger wipes some sauce away from his chin. 

“Sorry”, he mumbles but Lando shakes his head. “It’s...okay.” 

They stare at each other for a moment, the tension so obvious and Lando swallows his salad and meat, closing his eyes for a second. 

“Charles, you- they’re not worth it”, he says and when he opens his eyes again, Charles’ face has hardened. “Lando, you don’t know what vicious and disgusting thoughts they had-“ 

“But you don’t either! Really, stop thinking about it!”, Lando interrupts him and Charles stares at him, hesitating. 

“What if I told you I could read people’s minds?”, he asks carefully and Lando raises his eyebrows. “I’d tell you that you’re insane.”

“Mhm. Thought so much.” Charles nods but he’s still looking at him and he runs a hand through his messy hair - he’s wearing a red bandana today. 

“Just - hypothetically speaking of course - how would it work?”, Lando asks casually, trying to hide his curiosity and a small smile appears on Charles’ face. “Hypothetically?”

“Yeah. Can you- could you hear anyone’s thoughts? Everywhere, all the time?” 

“No, I hypothetically can’t hear anyone anywhere.” Charles has a wry smile on his face and he plays with his napkin - he was surprisingly quick in finishing his burger. And he didn’t spill one drop of sauce on his expensive sweater Lando doesn’t know the brand of. 

“I would have to be fairly close. The more familiar someone’s ... ‘voice’ is, the farther away I can hear them. But still, no more than a few miles.” He sighs and Lando listens fascinated. 

“It would be pretty cool”, he points out but Charles just shrugs. “It would be pretty annoying. You could imagine it like a crowded pub - it’s all a buzz of voices until you focus on one. I would have to tune it out most of the time - it’s quite distracting.” 

“Hm.” Lando stares at him for a moment before he finishes his burger, trying to somehow make sense of Charles’ words. So he can - or thinks he can - read people’s minds. 

Can vampires do that? Do they have special abilities like that? And what does this say about Charles? 

Is he-

A vampire. Or it’s drugs. Lando isn’t sure what he rather wants it to be. 

“You don’t believe me.” Charles grins and Lando shrugs, downing the rest of his coke. “I don’t know, I mean- it’s quite impossible, right?” 

“Sounds like it, yeah.” Charles smirks and Lando leans back, not noticing how he instinctively clutches on tighter to the hoodie. “What am I thinking right now?”

“I don’t know.” Charles grimaces and Lando wants to call him out for his bullshit when Charles keeps talking. “You’re a fucking mystery to me. I can’t read your mind, can’t since-“ 

He freezes when he realises what he just said but Lando forces himself to pick up some leftover lettuce with his fork, nodding as a sign for him to go on. 

Maybe he’s finally getting some answers. 

“Let’s talk in the car”, Charles mumbles and before Lando can protest he pays for them, leading him to his car, one hand on the small of his back. He drives on the road back to Brampton and Lando stares at the speedometer.

“Can you calm the fuck down?!” He’s nearly yelling and Charles gives him a startled look. “What?”

“You’re nearly going a 100 miles per hour!” Lando stares at him before he shoots a panicked glare out of the window. “You’re going to kill us!” 

“I always drive like that!”, Charles defends himself and Lando snorts. “That doesn’t make it better, mate, slow down!” 

“Lando, I never had an accident, I didn’t even get a speeding ticket!” Charles gives him a crooked grin but he does slow down and Lando exhales audibly. “Thank you.” 

“I hate driving slow”, Charles mutters and Lando glares at him. “You’re still going 70 miles per hour.” 

“Slow.” 

“Shut up.” 

Charles just laughs quietly and they’re both not saying anything for the next ten minutes, Lando still holding that frickin hoodie on his lap while Charles focuses on driving. 

“So you can’t read my mind”, Lando breaks the silence and Charles nods shortly. “Yep.” 

“Why.” 

“I don’t know.” Charles gives him a quick look, frustration clearly visible in his eyes before he turns back on the road. 

“Okay. Charles, I-“ 

Fuck, what is he supposed to say?! This is all so weird and Lando puts his head back, staring at the darkness they’re passing. It’s warm in the car and even though Charles sounds like a lunatic, like a freak- he’s not scared. 

He’s rather intrigued and Lando still doesn’t know what’s going on. 

“What?” There’s a concerned look in Charles’ eyes and Lando only notices that they’re back home when Charles stops the car in front of his house. “Are you okay?” 

He takes his hand and Lando forces himself to not flinch when he feels the coldness, rather giving him a soft smile. His belly flutters and he squeezes Charles’ hand, trying to stay calm. 

“Thank you”, he mutters and a wide smile spreads over Charles’ face, his dimples showing. “Always, Lando. Always.” 

He hesitates before he presses a soft kiss on his hand and Lando can feel himself blush. 

What is going _on_ \- 

“Goodnight, _chéri_ ”, Charles says quietly, his French accent making Lando feel oddly warm and he nods, opening the door and getting out. “See you, Charles.” 

It’s only when he’s upstairs and in bed that he realises he’s still clutching on to Charles’ hoodie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is one of the chapters where I changed quite a bit from the book/movie/script because I genuinely didn't like the "Bella goes to Port Angeles for ONE book" thing lmao also this plays in 2020 so we gotta change this up a little
> 
> If you want me to go into the details feel free to message me on Tumblr! It was a lot of fun coming up with all of this sksksk
> 
> I hope you're all having a great day and thank you all so much once again for all the support 💛💛💛💛


	7. Chapter 7

Lando is not proud of himself but he spends the rest of his weekend googling about drugs and mental illnesses. None of it fits Charles though and when he goes back to school on Monday, there’s only one option left. 

Vampire. 

But that’s _impossible_ and- oh who is he kidding. People also believe in God and angels, why shouldn’t there be vampires as well? 

At first, he doesn’t notice the people staring when he walks over the parking lot, too focused on his phone but when even George can’t seem to stop looking at him, Lando has enough. 

“Why are they all staring at me?! Is there something on my face?”, he whispers while Mr Wolff explains something in the front and George gives him a crooked grin. “You haven’t noticed?” 

“No, what is it?” Lando quickly scribbles down some numbers before he looks back at George, not getting it. It’s a simple Monday, it’s Maths, he didn’t get nearly crushed to death by a car this morning. 

Or vomited after Biology. 

“Your hoodie”, George points out carefully, eyes travelling over Lando’s body. “I’m not saying it doesn’t suit you but... I didn’t know you own a white Burberry hoodie. The same one Charles Leclerc wore last week.” 

Oh my god. 

Lando blushes immediately, only realising now what he threw on in a hurry this morning - fucking hell. He can’t show up like that to lunch later, Charles is gonna be there, he- 

But he also has no other choice. He didn’t bring a jacket, the hoodie is all he has and it’s too cold for the T-Shirt he’s wearing below - it’s still November after all. 

Stupid vampire and his stupid hoodie, honestly. 

And he can’t believe he actually called Charles a fucking vampire. 

“So he’s your boyfriend now?”, George asks him while they’re walking in the direction of Lando’s English Literature class and Lando frantically shakes his head. “No!”

“You had dinner together though”, George points out and Lando sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. Yeah we did.”

“So?”

“Can’t we talk at lunch? I’m pretty sure Alex and Sacha have the same questions.” Lando gives him a pleading look and George laughs, easily steering them through the crowd of students. 

“No problem, mate. Hi Alex.” He blushes when Alex gives him a wide smile before he disappears in the crowd and Lando turns towards Alex who looks like he wants to say something. 

“Yes, I’m wearing Charles’ hoodie, no it was not intentionally”, he says and Alex closes his mouth again, grinning when they fall on their seats in the back of the classroom. “Okay.”

“Why is it such a big deal anyway?! Can’t I own a Burberry hoodie?” Lando runs a hand through his hair frustrated and Alex shrugs, flicking through the pages of his book. “You could but Charles was the only one wearing _that_ hoodie for quite a while now. And this is a small school.” 

“Yeah, I've noticed”, Lando grumbles and glares at Dilara and Charlotte who’re grinning and throwing him looks from time to time. Dilara just winks at him and Lando sinks deeper into his chair, just praying this day is over soon. 

God, he hopes Charles doesn’t get the wrong impression. 

He’s fidgeting when he’s going to the cafeteria with Sacha, hands in the pocket of the hoodie and he tries to ignore how soft it feels. Or that it still smells faintly like Charles. Or the way his stomach tingles at that-

They enter the cafeteria and Lando rolls his eyes when he sees nearly everyone staring at him - including Charles and his brothers. But while Max looks like he’s ready to murder him, Dan having an arm around him, Charles looks nearly...pleased? 

Lando decides to ignore him and gets himself some food (lamb with rice - he doesn’t even like lamb) before falling between Sacha and Alex, sighing when he sees all three of his friends stare at him. “Ask.”

“I have to say, it’s a statement”, Alex comments with a grin and Sacha nods. “Very bold choice.” 

“But how the fuck can he not be your boyfriend?” George stares at him incredulously and Lando shrugs. 

“We just...we talked and then he drove me home. I was cold so he gave me his hoodie”, he tells them quietly, careful only their table hears him. 

“Aww, he’s a true gentleman.” Sacha gives him a dreamy smile and Lando snorts. “That’s what he wants you to think.” 

He only realises what he said when he sees George and Alex stare at him and he shakes his head immediately. “Oh no, we didn’t-“ 

“Did you kiss?!”, Alex asks him incredulously and Lando blushes, hiding his face in his hands. “No!” 

He’s _so glad_ he’s sitting far away from Charles and his brothers and- if his theory is true, Charles and his brothers are vampires. And vampires have super-hearing.

Means they definitely heard everything they just said and Lando makes sweater paws, supporting his chin with one hand. For fucks’s sake. 

“He kissed my hand though”, he adds because he can’t hold it back any longer. “And then I went inside.” 

“That’s actually kinda romantic”, George comments with a frown and Sacha nods. “Really cute.” 

“Yeah but he also has mood swings”, Lando comments dryly. “As he demonstrates wonderfully today with ignoring me.” 

Oh, he suddenly _hopes_ Charles hears him and when he turns his head slightly, Charles is staring at him speechless. Lando smirks before he remembers something. “Talking about mood swings... I think I need to talk with Callum.” 

He gets up, feeling nearly everyone in the cafeteria staring at him and he takes a deep breath. He definitely won’t back down now. Callum sits with Mick, Jack, Christian, Billy, Marcus and a few other boys a few tables away and looks up when Lando shows up at their table. 

“Hey, mate.” He smiles and Lando crosses his arms in front of his chest, feeling oddly confident with that goddamn hoodie. And he knows Callum’s gaze has lingered a little bit too long on it too. 

“Why are you telling everyone I’m going to the Dance with you?”, Lando asks calmly, keeping his voice low - he knows most people are staring at him but he doesn’t need to give them a show. 

Callum blushes immediately and he nervously shifts on his seat. “I, eh, I mean-“ 

“Don’t, it’s not cool, mate. I’m not going to the Dance with you, stop telling everyone that.” 

He turns around but freezes when he hears Callum’s voice, quiet but clearly audible. 

“You’re going with your boyfriend?”

Lando turns around slowly, it’s dead silent in the cafeteria and he grits his teeth. Callum looks at him, a little insecure while Mick doesn’t seem to know if he should be angry or not. 

“I’m going with _no one_ ”, Lando says, a sharp edge to his voice. “Alright?” 

He stares at Callum until he nods quickly and Lando takes a deep breath. “Lovely.” 

He turns around, glares at Charles who’s grinning and falls back on his seat. 

Fucking vampire. 

He pulls the hoodie a bit tighter around him and George grins.

“I think he got the message”, he comments dryly and Lando rolls his eyes, taking a sip from his water bottle. 

“I hope”, he mutters and while he tries his best to pay attention to Alex who’s telling them something about his cats, his gaze wanders back to Charles. 

He’s staring at him as well, his brothers looking something between amused (Sebastian) and incredibly pissed (Max) and Lando sighs. He doesn’t get it. 

Why would a vampire go to _school_?! He sure would’ve better things to do than repeat _sixth-form_.

“Nice hoodie”, Charles remarks when he slides in his seat in Biology and Lando blushes involuntarily. “I swear, it was totally unintentional, I’m gonna give it back-“

“No, you can keep it.” Charles waves dismissively, his eyes travelling over his body and he smirks. “Suits you better anyway.” 

He opens his Biology book while Lando blushes even more, desperately trying to come up with an answer and he chews on his bottom lip. 

“You sure?” He hates how insecure he sounds and when Charles smiles at him again, dimples showing- fucking vampire. Is he just attracted to him because of his vampire charm? But wouldn’t Lando then be attracted to his siblings well?

And while they’re all really good looking, Lando is definitely not attracted to them. 

For fuck’s sake, of course he had to fall for the fucking vampire and not Callum or Mick or even Sacha. 

He somehow has the feeling that he will only get more problems with that and he half-heartedly listens to Zak, trying to ignore Charles who keeps looking at him, a grin on his face. 

“What?!”, he asks after he has finally enough and Charles’ grin only widens. “Nothing. Just like seeing you in my clothes, that’s all.” 

He gets up with the ring of the bell, winking at him one more time before he leaves and Lando stares after him, dumbfounded. What the fuck?! 

The next two weeks he’s debating with himself if he should say something to Charles or not, brooding over the topic while writing his essays and playing Call of Duty with his friends. Charles joins them once and Lando hates himself for how excited he gets that evening. 

Hates how he dreams of Charles later that night, of them walking through London, Lando showing him the Space Exhibition in the Science Museum. Them getting some food somewhere before walking along the Thames, laughing, holding hands.

Charles kissing him gently before he fucks him hard later that- 

Lando wakes up with a boner, his boxers smeared with precum and he groans, burying his face in the pillows before jerking himself off, thinking about Charles Leclerc, his fucking accent and those goddamn dimples. 

“Why do you like me in your clothes?”, Lando asks two days after that, it’s December and while it isn’t snowing, it’s still cold. He’s wearing the Burberry hoodie again which earned him a pleased look from Charles during lunch and a murderous one from Max.

“I-“, Charles hesitates, not even pretending to pay attention to what Zak is telling them. 

“I feel very protective of you”, he says slowly, carefully weighing his words and Lando raises his eyebrows. 

“You don’t have to”, he answers, forcing himself to smile even though he rather feels like melting on the inside. Charles feels _protective_ of him?! That’s good...right? 

He’s still a vampire. And Lando should _really_ address that problem but he’s still not sure and- 

“I don’t have the strength to stay away from you anymore”, Charles whispers barely audible and Lando blinks throat tightening. “Excuse me?” 

Charles stares at him, only now realising that he apparently said that out loud and flashes him one of these smiles that make Lando blush and his knees weak. 

“You’re cute”, he says and Lando hates him so much for distracting but then Zak wants their attention and he takes a deep breath. He’s going to talk with Charles about it because it’s slowly driving him insane.

It’s when he’s on Discord with the boys later that night, playing Call of Duty and trying not to get killed, that he mulls over it once again. 

Charles’ whole ‘You should stay away from me, I’m dangerous and a bad guy’ act. 

Charles, who rarely eats. Whose eyes change colours, who is incredibly fast and strong (Lando _knows_ what he has seen during the van incident, no matter what Charles claims). 

His skin that is always so cold even though he’s wearing fluffy hoodies and thick coats. Paul’s story of the boy he saw next to a dead deer with blood on his face. 

Charles, who skipped Biology class - coincidentally the day they talked about blood. 

Charles, who has a ‘sun allergy’ and avoids the sun at every cost. 

Charles, who has an incredibly attractive set of brothers and a very handsome and charming Dad. And they all have the same eye colour. 

Charles, who gets all defensive and protective all of a sudden over him.

Either they’re all playing a huge prank on the whole town or something’s really up and Lando knows he needs to know - needs to talk with Charles. 

When he gets to school the next morning Charles is already there, leaning against his Ferrari, talking with his brothers and Lando takes a deep breath, bracing himself. He’s basically walking into the lion’s den but he’s sick of this. 

He’s not wearing Charles’ hoodie today, rather one of his own with a thick winter jacket - it’s still December and he would freeze to death otherwise. Fucking England.

He ignores the looks of the other students when he walks directly towards Charles and his brothers, hands in the pockets of his jacket and he swallows down the nervousness. 

They all turn towards him, Sebastian stops talking and Lando ignores them, turning to Charles. “We need to talk.” 

He’s proud of himself how steady his voice is and Kimi steps forward, wanting to reach for Charles’ arm but Charles shakes his head. 

Lando doesn’t even wait for his response, he just turns around and starts walking towards the forest that’s connected to the school grounds, not giving a shit if he skips class today or not. 

“Charles, don’t go”, he hears Max’s voice behind him but he doesn’t turn around - he knows Charles is following him. He tries his best not to stumble over some roots, avoids overgrown bushes and shrubs, the forest becoming denser. 

To be honest, Lando has no idea where he is by now but he knows Charles is following him even though he doesn’t really hear him - but he’s always been more graceful than Lando. 

He climbs over a fallen tree trunk, there’s a small clearing surrounded by high trees and he turns around, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Charles is standing next to some tans, looking oddly out of place with his black Versace hoodie, the dark bandana and his black skinny jeans and Lando takes a deep breath. 

Charles is just staring at him, not saying a word, his expression guarded, jaw set. His eyes are not black today, rather some kind of butterscotch and Lando avoids looking at them - he really can’t get distracted now. 

The anxiety tries to overwhelm him, there’s a lump in his throat and for a second he feels ridiculous - is he really going to accuse Charles of being a vampire? In 2020? Maybe ruin every chance he ever had with that boy? 

But when he looks back at Charles, him still staring at him with that unreadable expression, pale and so beautiful that Lando’s stomach flutters - he hates himself for it. 

Wrong timing, stomach, he thinks bitterly. 

It’s eerily quiet between them, all Lando can hear is some birds and the wind howling through the trees and he takes a deep breath. It’s now or never and he swallows down the lump in his throat. 

“You’re impossibly fast. And strong.” His voice is hoarse, heart beating fast in his chest. “You’re always so pale and your skin is ice-cold. Your eyes change colour - don’t deny it I’ve seen it.” 

Charles is still staring at him, expression unreadable and Lando draws in a shaky breath. 

“You never eat food or drink or come out in the sunlight, you’re always out of town ‘camping’ because of your ’sun allergy’ and”, Lando hesitates, biting on his bottom lip, deciding to ignore Paul for his own safety, “you only said no to the beach trip after you’ve heard where it was. Because of the treaty.” 

Charles' eyes shot up, something in his eyes changing and Lando holds his gaze, mouth dry. 

“Charles, how old are you?” His voice is still hoarse and Charles hesitates. 

“Eighteen.” 

“How long have you been eighteen?” Lando feels stupid for asking, really but then Charles hesitates a split second before he answers. 

“... a while”, he says eventually and Lando draws in a sharp breath - he has figured but it still feels like a punch in the gut. He scraps the last bit of his courage together, trying his best to keep calm and not freak out. 

“I know what you are.” His voice is not more than a whisper and Charles looks at him, his face still not giving anything away. 

“Say it. Say it out loud”, he commands quietly, there’s a pained edge to his voice and Lando nearly doesn’t dare to breathe, taking a deep breath. 

“You’re a vampire.” 

Dead silence follows his words and Charles finally looks him in the eyes, golden eyes meeting Lando’s brown ones and he forgets for a second how to breathe. His heart is hammering against his chest, he should fee ridiculous but something in Charles’ expression stops him. 

“Are you afraid?”, Charles asks quietly and Lando shakes his head immediately. “No.” 

It’s the truth and Charles’ eyes harden. 

“Then ask me the most basic question: what do we eat?” His voice is low and Lando’s breath hitches in his throat but he definitely won’t give in now. Charles hasn’t hurt him in the last few months and he won’t do it now. 

And besides, everyone has seen him leave the school grounds with Charles Leclerc following him. 

“You won’t hurt me, Charles”, he says quietly, trying to keep his voice steady. “You’re different.” 

He can feel his heart in his throat and Charles scoffs, glaring at him. “You think you know me?!”

“Yes, I do!” Lando glares at him, deliberately taking a step forward while keeping his hands in his pockets. “You didn’t touch me at all in the last few months, you won’t hurt me now!” 

“You don’t know that!” Charles is staring at him, eyes full with- anger? Worry? Pain? Lando can’t place it but before he can say something Charles is next to him, taking his hand and pulling him with him. 

Lando blinks, holding on to his cool hand though and he feels himself calm down, the skin contact soothing him and he stumbles after him. 

“Where the _fuck_ are we going-“ 

“Up the mountain, out of the clouds - you need to see what I really am in the sunlight.” 

“But the sun will kill you!” 

“It’s a fucking myth-“ 

“Well, how should I know-” 

“You need to see the truth.” Charles stops and turns around, a pained expression on his face. 

“Do you trust me?”, he asks quietly and when Lando nods he closes his eyes resigned. “No self-preservation”, he mumbles. “Are you afraid?” 

“Still no.” Lando’s voice is a little rough and he clears his throat while Charles shakes his head, apparently not getting it. 

“Alright, then come with me, somewhere where no one can protect you. Where I could do what I’ve wanted to do from the first moment I met you.” He’s standing directly in front of him now, the tension so thick Lando gets goosebumps and his mouth gets dry. 

He stares at him and hates himself for how much he wants to kiss Charles - and how turned on he actually is by his words. The rational part of his brain _knows_ he’s playing with fire here but he’s still not really afraid and Charles sighs. 

“You’re an idiot”, he whispers before he pulls him closer and picks him up with one quick motion. “What-“ 

“Hold on”, Charles interrupts him and before Lando realises it, he starts running.

Even though running might be the wrong word here - he’s racing up the mountains, trees flying past them in a blur and Lando holds on a little tighter to Charles, slinging his arms around his neck. They pick up the pace, faster and faster, it looks like they’re colliding with a tree any second but Charles avoids them with supernatural grace. 

It's frightening, nauseating, intoxicating. 

“Are you afraid?”, he yells and Lando holds on a bit tighter, gritting his teeth. “Can you stop that?! I’m not!” 

But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a little intimidating. 

Charles suddenly stops, gently letting Lando down and he needs a moment, supporting himself on one of the trees until the dizziness passes. There are a few sun rays coming through the branches and Charles hesitates before he pulls his hoodie over his head. 

He throws it at Lando who catches it instinctively, holding on to it as if his life depends on it and Charles pulls his white T-Shirt over his head as well. 

His chest is just as pale as the rest of him, _of course_ he has a six-pack, muscles perfectly defined and he reminds Lando a bit of a sculpture of a Greek god. He swallows dryly, trying his best not to stare at the V-line and Charles hesitates before he steps into the sunlight. 

Lando doesn’t know what exactly he expected but when the sun hits his skin he starts to sparkle, his skin looking like it’s made of thousands of diamonds. He is absolutely beautiful, shimmering, like a statue carved from glittering crystal. 

Charles takes a deep breath before he grabs his T-Shirt from the floor, pulling it back on but shakes his head when Lando wants to hand him his hoodie. “Keep it.” 

His voice is rough and Lando bites his bottom lip, his brain still trying to come to terms with what he just saw. 

“You’re beautiful”, he says quietly and Charles stares at him incredulously. “Beautiful?! I’m a fucking murderer, Lando!” 

“You’re different”, Lando points out, a sudden determination gripping him. He somehow can’t believe that Charles is as bad as he makes himself out to be. 

“You believe a fucking lie”, Charles scoffs, coming closer again, placing his hands next to Lando’s head against the tree and effectively trapping him between his arms. 

“I’m the world’s most dangerous predator”, he growls and Lando raises his eyebrows, heart beating in his throat. 

“You’re dramatic, that's what you are”, he comments and Charles stares at him. “Everything about me is made to lure you in! My voice, my face, my smell! As if I’d need any of that!” 

He scowls, suddenly turning around and with inhuman speed and force grabbing a heavy-looking tree branch, throwing it in the forest and Lando flinches but stands his ground. 

“As if you could outrun me! As if you could fight me off.” Charles shakes his head, a bitter smile on his lips and Lando crosses his arms in front of his chest to hide his shaking hands. 

“Okay but what’s your point?”, he manages to say and Charles looks at him, speechless. “Lando, I’ve killed people!” 

“Nobody’s perfect.” 

“I wanted to kill _you_!” Charles stares at him and Lando swallows dryly, taking a deep breath. 

“Yes okay, but you didn’t”, he says slowly and Charles closes his eyes, massaging his temple. 

“You’re unbelievable”, he mumbles. “Your blood- do you know how badly I want it?! I've never wanted a human's blood so much in my life!” 

That’s...not good but Lando stays exactly where he is, eyes focused on Charles. His heart is still beating fast in his chest and he’s a little intimidated but he’s not afraid, he realises. He’s not afraid and it doesn’t matter that Charles has wanted to kill him because he didn’t. 

He controlled himself, he cares about him, wants to protect him and he’s an incredibly stupid, overly dramatic, vampire but Lando is in love with him. And nothing Charles says could ever change that. 

“I trust you”, he says quietly, taking a step forward and Charles’ swallows hard, pain clearly visible in his eyes. “Don’t.” 

Lando just shakes his head while he keeps walking until he’s directly in front of Charles and he takes another shaky breath. 

His mind is a mess, thoughts running wild and he knows every other person would’ve freaked out already. Or fainted. But he has never been one for self-preservation and Lando hesitantly puts his hand against Charles’ cheek, giving him a tentative smile. 

“Where’s all that self-hate coming from?”, he asks quietly and Charles scoffs, frozen to the spot. “I don’t hate myself and I don’t mind what I am. But I’m warning you because I care about you. Because I don’t want to hurt you.” 

There’s a pained edge in his voice and Lando gives him a soft smile. “You won’t, dickhead.” 

He leans forward, gently pressing his lips against Charles’ and he smiles when he feels Charles kissing him back, pulling him closer. He can feel now that Charles isn’t breathing but his lips are soft and cold and perfect and Lando’s stomach flutters, warmth spreading through him.

About three things, he is absolutely positive. 

First, Charles is a vampire. 

Second, there is a part of him - and Lando doesn’t know how dominant that part might be - that thirsts for his blood.

And third, he’s unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He knooooows! Jesus, only took us 7 chapters skskssksk
> 
> This whole chapter is a mix of book and movie, given that in the books Edward basically tells her in the car when they drive home from Port Angeles and that's kinda...lame lmao
> 
> It's a chapter which relies heavily on the movie here but these lines were just too iconic to leave out
> 
> And as you will see in the next chapters, Charles' self-control is way better than Edward's because it was one of the things that genuinely annoyed me about the book - they're horny teenager, let them act like it sksksksk 
> 
> Thank you all so so much again for your support, you have no idea how happy your comments and kudos make me 💛💛💛💛


	8. Chapter 8

Lando stares at the ceiling of his bedroom, adrenaline still rushing through his veins and he can’t stop smiling. He’s on a suicide mission with dating Charles, he knows that, but he never cared much about self-preservation anyway. And kissing Charles- he has kissed him back. 

He didn’t push him away, he kissed him back before he drove him home, holding his hand during the whole drive and now Lando is laying in his bed, Charles’ black Versace hoodie next to him and he misses him so fucking much. 

He lost his heart the day Charles smiled at him for the first time and he knows he’s fucked. 

And that they need to talk a lot more than what they’ve already done on talking. 

He pulls his phone from his pocket, quickly texting Charles if he can come over and after opening the window - the air’s a little stuffy in his room - he falls back on his bed, pulling the hoodie closer. 

He has been in love before - has had crushes on boys in his school before. But never did he feel for someone as much as for Charles - never did he fall for someone as quickly and as hard as for Charles. 

And Lando still can’t believe he fell in love with a fucking vampire. 

Charles is so different to everyone he ever met, so perfect, funny, sarcastic, chaotic, dramatic and sweet and he can’t stop smiling. 

“Hey.” He flinches when he suddenly hears Charles’ voice, looking up sharply and he stares at Charles who’s leaning against the wall of his bedroom, a huge grin on his face. 

“How the _fuck_ did you get in here?!” Lando stares at him and Charles shrugs, running a hand through his messy hair, the bandana still in place. 

“The window”, he says simply and Lando’s eyes fall on the open window - his room is on the first floor. 

“The-“ He stops, shaking his head incredulously and Charles grins. 

“Vampire, remember?”, he reminds him and Lando narrows his eyes. 

“Don’t I have to invite you in?”, he counters and Charles furrows his brow. “I mean you can, it’s definitely polite but why would you?” 

“I just thought-“ 

Okay, maybe he shouldn’t go with The Vampire Diaries stereotypes. 

“It’s a myth”, Charles says with a soft smile and Lando nods, hesitating. “What about garlic?” 

“Another myth.” Charles grins. “We don’t have to eat, it doesn’t do anything for us and is pretty tasteless though.” 

“But you said Dan recommended you that burger-” 

“Yeah, he’s the only one of us who still eats human food from time to time.” Charles shakes his head amused and there’s a fond look in his eyes when he talks about him - Lando assumes that they’re pretty close. 

“Why?” He frowns and Charles shrugs. “Because he’s a weird Australian who refuses to give up ‘his BBQ culture’ or whatever the fuck - we’re having a BBQ every summer just for that crazy idiot.” 

“God”, Lando mumbles and Charles smirks. “Doesn’t care about us.” 

“Oh wait, so you _can_ enter churches?” 

“Yeah, but I tend to avoid them. They make me uneasy - which was a bit of a problem when we were living in Italy.” Charles grimaces and Lando grins involuntarily.

He knows this should freak him out, knows he should be afraid but he isn’t - he’s mostly just curious. 

“So crosses don’t kill you?”, he asks and Charles snorts. “Again, we wouldn’t have lived in Italy otherwise - you can’t walk five meters without running into a church or a cross. And I know that Lewis has a rosary somewhere.” 

“So don’t take this the wrong way but if garlic and crosses and sunlight are myths…what _can_ actually kill you?” Lando gives him a crooked grin and Charles smirks. “Fire. But only if you rip a vampire’s head and limbs off and burn them.” 

That sounds...pretty disgusting and Lando nods slowly. “Okay.” 

“Anything else?” Charles lazily runs a hand through his hair and Lando tries his best not to stare at him. He doesn’t know what Charles did in the past 4 hours since they talked in the forest but he’s still just wearing his white T-Shirt together with the bandana and Lando has to remind himself that he doesn’t get cold. 

Charles, who seems to have noticed him staring, just smirks and Lando rolls his eyes, pulling his legs up. He’s not sure how much intimacy is okay for Charles but he also hopes he’d tell him if he went too far. 

“Do you- do you want to sit down, maybe?”, he asks carefully, patting on the free spot next to him on the bed and Charles nods, slowly coming closer. 

He gives him a small smile before gracefully sitting down next to him, his back leaned against the wall and he hesitates for another second before he puts his arm around Lando, pulling him against his chest. Lando can’t stop the smile that’s spreading over his face and he cuddles up, taking a deep breath. 

He feels calm, safe and a little cold so he pulls the blanket over them, giving Charles an insecure look. 

“You’re okay with being this close?”, he asks, voice unsure and Charles bites his lips before he nods. 

“I- after you left- I went hunting.” He averts his eyes, fixating some spot on the wall and Lando only notices now that his eyes are completely light. 

“Just to make sure”, Charles adds and Lando can’t help but smile. 

Maybe he should feel sorry for that poor deer. Or the- whatever wildlife Britain’s forests have. But he just feels calm, protected even when Charles pulls him a little closer and he blushes when he feels the goosebumps on his arms. 

“Your family doesn’t know?”, Lando asks and Charles snorts. “No. Not...yet.” 

He stays silent, finger mindlessly trailing over Lando’s neck and he smirks when he sees him shiver. 

He cups his face in his big hands, kissing him softly and Lando feels like he’s melting. Everything in him tingles and he smiles into the kiss, trying his best not to overwhelm Charles. 

But then Charles’ hand is in his hair and he pulls him closer, effortlessly, and Lando giggles breathlessly - he’s on his lap by now and he leans against his chest, Charles wrapping his arms around him. 

“You’re so cute, do you know that?”, Charles mumbles against his neck and Lando freezes when he feels his cold lips kissing the skin, his heart beating fast against his ribs. 

“Don’t worry, _chéri_.” Charles’ voice is still so low and Lando bites his lip, praying Charles doesn’t notice his fucking boner. So much for ‘talking.’ Well, they did talk. But- oh for god’s sake. 

“So your family doesn’t drink human blood?”, he asks quickly and he can feel Charles sigh against his neck. “No.” 

He moves back a little so he can look at him but he’s still holding him in his arms, pressing a soft kiss on his cheek - apparently after weeks of restraining himself from touching him, he can’t get enough of it now. 

Lando definitely won’t complain though and Charles puts his head back, staring at the ceiling. 

“My family and I are different from other vampires - which sounds like such a fucking cliché but it’s the truth. We have a home, we stay in one place for a longer period of time - like a family. We _are_ a family, I’d die for every single one of them. We hunt animals and we...learned to control our thirst.”

So Paul has been right. Lando nods slowly, hand trailing over the veins on Charles’ hand and he leans back, inhaling his familiar scent. He smells a bit like laundry detergent, some perfume and just- just like Charles and Lando feels oddly at home. 

“And then there’s you.” Charles sounds a little bitter and Lando frowns, trying not to sound too offended. “What about me?” 

“Your scent...it’s like a drug to me. I just can’t get enough of it”, Charles confesses quietly and Lando stares at him, everything making sense suddenly. 

“That’s why you were such an arsehole in Biology on my first day!”

“I wasn’t-“

“Yes, you were! That’s why- and I thought you hated me!” Lando shakes his head incredulously and Charles’ lip twitches. “I kinda did. For making me want you so badly after I’d done so well all these years before.” 

“You’re still doing well”, Lando mumbles, hand trailing over Charles’ perfect face and the look Charles gives him is nothing but open and vulnerable. 

“And you have absolutely no self-preservation”, he counters and Lando shrugs, a small smile on his lips. “I love you.” 

That just slipped out and he freezes, staring at Charles like some frightened deer- fuck. He’s such a loser, saying ‘I love you’ so early, oh my _god_ \- but Charles’ gaze just softens and he takes his hand in his’, kissing it gently. 

“I love you too”, he murmurs. “So much it actually scares me.” 

Lando swallows dryly, his heart is so full of love for the boy - man - vampire - whatever - next to him that he should probably be worried as well. He isn’t though, just gently taking Charles’ hand in his and squeezing it slightly. “It’s gonna be fine.” 

Charles just nods quietly, staring at the wall across from him and Lando cuddles up closer, Charles absentmindedly tightening his arm around his waist a little. 

“We call ourselves vegetarians,” Charles says suddenly, a grin on his face and Lando snorts, shaking his head amused. “Creative. But...you’ve all drunk human blood before?” 

“Yeah.” Charles stares out of the window, playing with the silver ring on his finger. “All of us. It’s just- it’s inevitable? At some point, it will happen - mostly in the beginning after you got turned.” 

Lando doesn’t know what to say to that and Charles shakes his head, kissing him gently. 

“You shouldn’t worry about this”, he mumbles against his lips, his hand on his cheek and holding him so gently as if he was scared he would break. 

Which, given the fact that Charles has inhuman strength, is a possibility. 

“No?”, Lando whispers back and Charles smirks, flipping them around with supernatural speed so he’s over Lando. “No.” 

He leans down, kissing him again and Lando can’t help but smile into the kiss, pulling Charles closer. 

There’s so much they should discuss - so much they should consider. Should talk about. But right now, with Charles kissing him like _that_ he’s just happy, enjoying the moment. 

“Would you want to try this?”, Lando asks a little later, his head on Charles’ chest while Charles’ hand is going through his hair and he tries his best not to sound too insecure. “With us, I mean? And I know talking about this is ridiculous and if you don’t want to then-“

“I think talking about this is very important”, Charles interrupts him quietly, smiling and Lando’s stomach drops when he sees the dimples. Jesus, he really needs to get a grip. 

“I just don’t want you to think you have to have a relationship with me now because I know your secret and-“

Charles kisses him, efficiently shutting him up with that and when he pulls back, there’s an amused spark in his golden eyes. 

“What the fuck, Lando?”, he asks but there’s no malice in his voice and Lando shrugs, biting his lip. “I like to overthink.” 

“Yeah, I noticed.” Charles laughs and it’s the most beautiful sound Lando has ever heard. He stares at him, his stomach fluttering and he smiles involuntarily. 

“And you’re dramatic”, he counters and Charles raises his hands defensively. “Never said anything else.” 

They stare at each for a moment, both having a fond smile on their faces and Lando can’t believe that in the span of 24 hours everything changed so quickly. This is definitely _not_ what he had expected when he moved to Brampton three months ago. 

”Guess everyone will be in for a surprise tomorrow then”, Lando comments with a crooked grin and Charles laughs, pulling him closer. “They’re not ready for us, baby.”

**CHARLES**

Max has punched him in the face after Charles had told them what happened in the forest and at Lando’s and to be honest, Charles can’t blame him. 

He knows it’s stupid. Stupid, reckless and so fucking dangerous. But it’s _Lando_ , he can’t stay away from him and he pulls his legs up, hiding in his bed. Max is god knows where, Dan with him to calm him down and he chews on his bottom lip, burying his face in his hands. 

The high of making out with Lando is slowly disappearing and he tries his best not to overthink everything. He knows he fucked up. But he also trusts Lando so fucking much even though his family will never understand that. 

It’s already past midnight and Charles knows that the others know by now what happened. It’s impossible not to, Max and he screamed at each other so loudly he’s sure everyone in Brampton heard it and he pulls the blanket over his legs. 

He doesn’t need to sleep but he likes hiding in his bed, likes the feeling of being in bed. Of just ignoring life and responsibilities for a while. 

“Hey, kid.” Charles looks up when Nico is suddenly standing in the doorway, a small smile on his face and Charles bites his lip. “Am I in trouble?”

He sounds like a fucking child but he couldn’t care less - he has no idea what Lewis and Nico are going to do. They’re not his actual parents but Lewis is still his clan leader and- and they’re like parents to him. 

They’re like parents to all of them, always listening to Dan ramble about his new favourite band or a concert he went to, to Max rambling about space and video games, to Charles getting excited about fashion shows and theatre and musicals. 

To Seb telling them about the car he’s working on right now with Kimi or the concerts he wants to visit or the mountains Kimi still wants to climb. 

Lewis and Nico have always been supportive, have always been there for them and Nico closes the door behind him (not that it’s of any use with a house full of vampires) before he sits down next to him on the bed, still smiling slightly. 

“That depends on who you ask. Max? Yeah, absolutely. Seb? Not really.” Nico’s golden eyes are full of warmth and Charles scoots a bit closer, leaning against him. “What about Lewis and you?”

His voice is so quiet if Nico didn’t have supernatural hearing he wouldn’t have caught it and Nico sighs. 

“...no”, he says eventually and Charles relaxes, feeling like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. 

“We’re just worried about you”, Nico adds quietly, putting an arm around him. “Worried but not mad.” 

Charles swallows dryly, a lump forming in his throat and he cuddles up, Nico pulling the blanket over both of them. 

“I’m so scared, Nico”, he whispers, staring out of the window. “I’ve never been in love. Never. And now, with Lando- _putain_.” 

He tries swallowing the tears that are building up and he annoyedly wipes over his eyes with his hand. 

Nico just pulls him closer and brushes a few strands of hair back, tucking them behind the bandana again. 

“It’s really the first time?”, he asks quietly and when Charles nods silently, Nico presses a soft kiss on his cheek. “Oh, darling.”

“I feel so stupid.” Charles shakes his head, still staring out of the tall windows into the dense forest. “I _am_ stupid.” 

“You’re not”, Nico says quietly, pulling him a bit closer. “It’s love. And Lando- he seems like a nice kid.” 

“He _is_ a nice kid.” Lewis’ voice makes them both look up and Charles forces himself to smile. “Hey.” 

One look in his thoughts shows him that Lewis knows about everything and he avoids his gaze, not surprised when Lewis joins them in bed, sitting down on Charles’ other side. 

“He’s a good kid”, Lewis says quietly, putting his arm around Charles’ as well. “Very polite.” 

They’re quiet and Charles tries to drown out their thoughts. He knows they’ve always been more worried about him than about the others. Knows they worry because he’s the only one who doesn’t have a partner. And he sees all their worries regarding his relationship with Lando right in front of him and he takes a deep breath, concentrating on drowning their thoughts out. 

“How can this ever work?”, he asks, voice breaking a little and he feels so fucking pathetic. Crying over some human and- it’s not just some human. It’s Lando with his soft curls, his dimples and his way of stumbling over things. 

Lando, who sometimes laughs so much he’s nearly crying. 

Lando, whose smile could make flowers grow. 

Lando, who is so sweet and smart and pure and _good_. 

Lando, who has always made an effort to be nice to him, to befriend him, to include him. 

Lando, who has never cared that he’s different. 

Lando, whose blood he still wants more than anything else. 

Lando, who he loves so much it scares him. 

“We will find a way, darling, I promise.” Nico gives him a reassuring smile but Charles doesn’t miss the short look Nico and Lewis exchange. Doesn’t miss both of them thinking about the FIA but he ignores it, just nodding wordlessly. 

“He makes me so happy”, he whispers. “He makes it all seem so easy. Can you believe he doesn’t care that I’m a vampire?! That I- that I killed people?!” 

Charles plays with the strings of his hoodie and crosses his legs below the blanket, staring absentmindedly in the distance. “And yet everything is going to shit and you all hate me.”

“We don’t hate you”, Lewis points out gently and Charles scoffs. “Max does.”

“Max doesn’t hate you.” 

“Well, he acts like it.” 

“You know your brother, he’ll come around - give him time.” Lewis squeezes his arm comfortingly and Nico nods. “And we support you, Charlie. If being with Lando is what you want then we’ll somehow make it work.” 

Charles turns his head abruptly, staring at them. “Are you for real?!” 

“Yeah.” Lewis gives him a soft smile before he gets up from the bed. “We would love to meet him. And I know that Seb, Kimi and Dan want that too.” 

Charles blinks, actually overwhelmed. “But- they know him-“ 

“Out of school”, Nico says amused. “Without having to pretend. Why don’t you bring him over for lunch?”

“We don’t eat”, Charles points out dryly and Lewis shrugs. “Yeah, but he does.” 

“I can but it’s really not necessary that you guys cook something.” Charles tries his best not to grin and if he was still human, he would have blushed. “Really, that’s just-“

“Embarrassing?”, Nico finishes dryly but there’s a smile on his face and he gets up as well. “We’re your parents, Charles, that’s our job.” 

Lewis laughs at that, giving his husband a big smile and Charles rolls his eyes throwing his pillow at them.

“Get a room!”, he yells after them and he sinks back in the remaining pillows after they’re gone, a soft smile on his lips. He still feels like shit but he’s incredibly relieved that Lewis isn’t mad and Max- well. Not his problem. 

Maybe they can watch some vampire movie later like they sometimes do - Kimi _loved_ ‘Interview with the Vampire’ while Dan, Charles and Max prefer ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and it’s always a lot of fun. Maybe they can have a family evening again and it will be a bit of normality. He really misses that. 

They ignore each other when Max comes back later that night, Dan looking way more cheerful than his boyfriend, flashing Charles a big smile and Charles falls between him and Seb in the living room. 

“You’re okay?”, Seb asks him quietly and Charles nods, frowning when he sees the vision Seb pulled up in his thoughts. It’s one of him and...Lando? But Lando looks different, paler, with golden eyes and- 

Charles freezes when he realises what exactly he just saw and Seb winks at him. 

_‘Don’t tell the others yet or Max will personally murder you. And I doubt that even Dan could stop him then.’_

“Okay”, Charles mumbles at Seb’s thought and his older brother winks at him while Dan looks at him confused. “What?” 

“Nothing.” Charles waves dismissively and Kimi smirks but staying quiet otherwise. Max is still ignoring his existence and Lewis paces in front of them. 

“There was a series of killings-“ 

“Oh wait, so we just ignore the fact that Charles is dating a human now and breaking all the laws? Okay, cool.” Max snorts crossing his arms in front of his chest and Charles glares at him.

“I-“

“He’s _happy_ ”, Kimi says with a raspy voice, putting an arm around Seb. “We’ll figure shit out with the FIA.” 

“We’ll- okay, yeah, sure, let’s just all ignore how fucking _stupid and dangerous_ this is!” Max glares at them and Dan sighs, putting a hand on his thigh and giving him a warning look. “Max-“

“There was a series of killings in Carlisle”, Lewis growls, completely ignoring their discussion. “People literally died 10 miles away from us and that problem is a little bit more urgent than who Charles is dating!”

Dead silence answers him and Dan clears his throat. “Do the dogs know anything? It’s close to their territory...” 

“Nope.” Lewis crosses his arms in front of his chest with a grim expression on his face. “And that’s what worries me.” 

“They’re normally pretty quick to sniff out any vampires who get lost in their land”, Kimi says slowly and Max raises his eyebrows. “Should we take care of it?” 

“I still have the hope that, whoever it is, might just be passing by.” Lewis pinches the bridge of his nose and leans against Nico. “I don’t want to draw any attention to us.” 

His gaze falls on Charles and Charles bites his lips, avoiding his gaze. He has a bad feeling about the murders as well and he just hopes that whoever it is doesn’t come to Brampton.

“They’re curious”, Seb says slowly, his eyes a little hazy and Charles knows what it means. “I don’t know who it is but they’re curious and they’re still debating if they should come or not. Right now it seems like they’re heading north, towards Edinburgh.” 

“Great, then they’re Romain’s problem”, Charles mumbles and Dan grins. “Should I talk with Jev?” 

“Not yet. But we are definitely keeping an eye on the murders - I saw a few of the bodies and it’s definitely another vampire.” Lewis gives them all a long look, concern evident in his eyes. “Don’t go hunting alone; just to be sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S RACE DAY FRIENDS and I'm not ready lmao 
> 
> I also stan this vampire family way too hard and wish they could adopt me skkkssksk
> 
> You all are amazing, I'm sending you all so much love and the next update will be on Tuesday! 💛💛💛💛💛


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Trigger warnings:** we are going into a few backstories in this chapter so prepare for mentions of attempted suicide 💛 if you are uncomfortable please look after yourself first/drop me a message if you want to know where it happens

Lando is a little surprised to see that Charles picks him up from home the next morning and he quickly grabs his backpack and downs the last bit of milk from his cereal bowl before stumbling out of the door. 

Jenson is already gone and he swallows when he sees Charles leaning against his red Ferrari, wearing sunglasses and some bomber jacket Lando has no idea which brand it’s from. 

“Hey”, he says surprised and Charles smiles, pushing himself off his car. “Hey, _chéri_.” 

He kisses him softly, hand lingering on his cheek before he nods at his car. “Mind if I drive you to school?”

“Not at all but why?” Lando frowns while he gets in on the passenger seat and Charles smiles wryly. “Let’s just say I’m not the most dangerous one out there for once.” 

He starts the engine and Lando frowns, falling back. 

He’s wearing the black Versace hoodie and yeah, maybe he shouldn’t. But he kinda likes wearing his boyfriend’s clothes and Charles, who seems to have noticed his outfit choice, gives him an apprehensive look. 

“Looking good”, he comments and Lando blushes. “Yeah, who would’ve thought a hoodie you pay £500 for is actually comfortable?” 

Charles flips him off but he’s grinning and Lando chews on his bottom lip. “What do you mean you’re not the most dangerous one?” 

What if Max wants to kill him? He looked like he wants to, what-

“There’s- another vampire. Or more of them, we don’t know yet.” Charles’ voice sounds strained and when Lando looks to the right he can see that his face hardened. “They hunt humans and we don’t know if they come to town so just...stay out of trouble, would you?” 

“Sure.” Lando swallows down the bad feeling in his stomach and Charles’ expression softens.

“I will protect you”, he says quietly, taking Lando’s hand. “I promise.” 

“Don’t promise something you can’t keep”, Lando jokes but when he sees Charles’ mortified expression he quickly adds a “thank you, though”. Charles just shakes his head before he pulls in a free parking space at school.

“You ready?” He turns towards Lando, his usual grin back on his face and Lando swallows down the nervousness.

“There’s no sun, you don’t need to wear sunglasses”, he points out and Charles’ grin widens. “All for the dramatic effect, darling - it’s part of my outfit.” 

Lando snorts at that, feeling himself relax a little bit and they leave the car. He _knows_ they’re all staring at him - especially when Charles puts an arm around his neck, a huge grin on his face and they’re walking towards the entrance.

“Everyone is staring at us”, Lando mumbles when they pass Billy, Callum and Mick and Charles smirks. “Good.” He pulls him a little closer and Lando blushes. 

“I’m already going to hell anyway”, Charles adds cheerfully and Lando snorts before they enter the building. Charles walks him to Maths and George stares at them, absolutely speechless. 

Only now Lando remembers that he skipped school yesterday. Great. 

“See you at lunch, _chéri_ ”, Charles murmurs, kissing him deeply before he walks off, leaving Lando a bit flushed behind and he falls on his seat next to George, trying to ignore the looks of the others. 

Holy shit. 

“So”, George says slowly, doodling on his notebook in front of him. “You skip school, walk off into the forest and the next day you and Charles Leclerc-“ 

He doesn’t finish his sentence, apparently having a hard time wrapping his head around it and to be honest, Lando can’t blame him. He also still can’t really believe he’s actually dating Charles and he blushes, getting his stuff out of his backpack. 

“Yeah. We- we’re together after we talked”, he says and George raises his eyebrows. “In the forest.” 

He shakes his head before a grin breaks over his face. “My god, Lando, that’s unromantic!” 

“Is it though?”, Lando points out, relief flooding through him after he realises George isn’t really mad. “Because-“

“Lando, would you mind sharing whatever is bothering you with the whole class?” Mr Wolff’s dry voice makes him look up and Lando flushes a deep shade of red, the whole class staring at them. 

“No, it’s fine”, he mumbles. “Sorry.” 

Mr Wolff just nods curtly before he goes back to whatever he was explaining to them on the whiteboard and Lando and George exchange a quick look before they both grin. 

They keep whispering about the whole thing (Lando obviously leaving out the crucial fact that his boyfriend is a vampire) and when their class is over, George pulls him into a quick hug. 

“I’m happy for you”, he says, a genuine smile on his face. “Really. He seems good for you. And you’re good for him, that weirdo.” 

“Hey!” Lando hits him against the arm but he can’t stop laughing and George smirks. “You know what I mean. See you at lunch, mate.”

He disappears to his Politics class and Lando shakes his head, ignoring Dilara and Charlotte who are both whispering and sneaking glances at him from time to time and he makes his way to Spanish. 

After telling Sacha the story as well and then repeating it once more to Alex while his class is arguing over Oliver Twist, he can’t stop smiling, his friends being nothing but supportive and he frowns when Dilara and Charlotte come towards him after class.

“You and Charles are really cute together”, Charlotte says with a warm smile and Dilara nods. “Yep. Just wanted to tell you that.” 

She grins and Lando blinks confused before a small smile appears on his face. He knows them fairly well after he did some group work with them and Alex during Wuthering Heights and he knows they’re not messing with him. 

“Thanks”, he says and Dilara winks at him before they disappear in the crowded hallway, catching up with Jamie and Tatianna. 

“Hey, baby.” Out of nowhere, Charles appears next to him, putting an arm around him and he hesitates before he gives Alex a small smile. “Hello, Alexander.” 

“Hey, Charles.” Alex looks completely relaxed and Lando smiles when Charles kisses him gently. They make their way to lunch and Lando half expects Charles to lead him to a separate table - to his surprise though, Charles follows him to his friends. 

George and Sacha stare at him a little dumbstruck for a second and Charles bites his lips. 

“Do you mind if I have lunch with you?”, he asks with his velvet voice and while Lando internally rolls his eyes, George and Sacha shake their heads immediately. 

“Not at all, mate”, George says quickly and Sacha moves his chair a bit to the side that Charles can sit down next to Lando. 

Lando worries for a second that it might be awkward - they’ve only ever communicated over Discord, what if- but then Charles asks George about his Politics class and they fall in an easy flow, talking about school and Call of Duty. 

Lando eats his salad, smiling when he hears Charles laugh at something Alex said and all of his worries about them not getting along gone. 

Charles is even _eating_ , having some jacket potato in front of him and Lando appreciates it a lot. He knows everyone in the cafeteria is staring at them but he also couldn’t care less at this point. 

It’s a small town, a small school and Lando basically disturbed the status quo - and he’s dating the most handsome boy from school. 

“Hey”, a melodic voice suddenly says next to him and Lando flinches, looking up - so do the other three, only Charles doesn’t look startled. Sebastian is standing next to him with a warm smile, hands in his pockets and his golden eyes are incredibly bright. 

“I’m Seb, Charles’ older brother- but he probably told you already.” Seb grins and Lando swallows down his surprise, returning the smile tentatively. “Hey.” 

“Do you want to sit down?”, Sacha offers shyly and Seb’s smile widens. He nods, pulling himself a chair over and one look to the rest of Charles’ brothers shows Lando that they’re pissed. 

Or rather, Max looks like he’s ready to murder him (but what’s new), Kimi has an unreadable expression on his face and Dan looks actually quite amused, one arm lazily around Max and when their eyes meet, he grins. 

Lando blushes, quickly averting his eyes and he leans against Charles. Seb is talking about his Psychology class with Alex, apparently, they’re both doing it and Lando tries to hide his confusion. 

He has no idea why Seb decided to join them but Charles doesn’t look bothered so Lando tries not to worry. By the looks of it, he should more worry if Max suddenly decided to join them. 

And look, Lando really _likes_ Seb. He’s funny, incredibly nice and genuinely listens to you, asks you questions and at least pretends to care. It’s definitely an interesting lunch and when Charles and he walk to Biology, he feels happy. 

Calm, even. Maybe everything can work out, maybe everything is going to be alright. 

“So I guess you told your family?”, he asks quietly while they slide in their seats and Charles nods. “Yep.” 

“...and?” 

“They all don’t mind except Max. Which you might have noticed.” Charles pulls a face and Lando gives him a crooked grin. “Yeah, he looks like he’s ready to kill me most of the time.” 

“Ignore him.” Charles rolls his eyes while putting his book on his table, leaning back in his chair. “He’s a dick. But Seb- he really likes you and wants to make an effort. He saw that you two will become great friends-“

“He _saw_?”, Lando interrupts him confused and Charles freezes, quickly looking over his shoulder but no one is paying them any attention. “Eh- maybe we shouldn’t have this conversation here.”

“You wanna come over after school?”, Lando suggests, lowering his voice when Zak enters the classroom. He’s really not keen on repeating Maths. “And then we can talk.”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Charles smiles, squeezing his leg below the table quickly before focusing on Zak and Lando takes a deep breath, ignoring the goosebumps forming on his arms.

For fuck’s sake, he hates that every time Charles touches him his body is so incredibly responsive and he crosses his legs, forcing himself to think about cells and anaphase. 

He’s _not_ getting a boner in Biology just because Charles touched his leg.

Charles drives him home after school, curiously following him inside the house. 

“It’s cute”, he comments and Lando shrugs, making himself some pasta. 

“It’s a house”, he replies dryly, debating if it’s worth offering Charles some food or not. He warms up some tomato sauce, stirring in the pot and waves at the chairs around the kitchen table. 

“You can sit down, you know?” He focuses back on his pasta, impatiently tapping against the counter and he hears Charles laugh behind him. “What’s wrong?”

Lando flinches when all of a sudden two cold arms wrap around his waist and he glares over his shoulder at Charles. “Stop sneaking.” 

“I wasn’t!” Charles grins, pressing a kiss on his cheek and Lando rolls his eyes, muttering something about “rude vampire” below his breath. He can feel Charles’ chest vibrate behind him when he laughs and Lando smiles, quickly pulling the pot with the sauce from the stove so it doesn’t burn. 

“So what’s Max’ problem with me?”, he says while waiting for his pasta to be al dente and he can feel Charles tense behind him. 

“He worries”, he then replies simply, letting go off him to lean against the wall - Lando misses his touch instantly. “Worries because he knows what happens if this ends...badly.” 

“Badly as in...you kill me”, Lando says slowly and Charles nods curtly. “Yep.” 

He looks clearly uncomfortable but Lando knows that avoiding it won’t make it better and he pours the pasta with the water in a sieve. 

“What is with my blood that’s so different?”, he asks while putting the pasta on a plate, adding the tomato sauce and a generous amount of cheese. “I really don’t get it.” 

“It’s- everyone enjoys different flavours.” Charles shrugs helplessly and pushes himself off the wall to join him at the table. “I talked with my brothers about this - well, not Max but Kimi and Dan.” 

He hesitates, staring out of the window in the small garden. 

“Kimi‘s self-control is pretty good - he can easily blend it out. Dan- he’s technically the youngest by vampire years.” He grins and Lando stares at him. “What?!” 

Dan looks way older and Charles grins. 

“He was 25 when he was turned by Lewis but it was after me or Max.” 

“I figured you look a bit too old for sixth-form”, Lando mumbles, scooping up a noodle and shoving it into his mouth. “No offence.” 

“None taken.” Charles shrugs, pulling his legs up. “But the ... earlier we start, the longer we can stay in one place.” He sighs before he shakes his head. “But anyway. Dan said it happened twice to him - once stronger than the other.” 

“What did he do?” Lando nearly forgets to eat, too intrigued by Charles’ story and he quickly shoves a bit more pasta into his mouth, nearly burning his tongue. 

Charles tenses a little, eyes darkening and Lando swallows the pasta, trying to ignore the chills that run down his spine. He debates if he should say something but then Charles looks at him, a wry smile on his face. 

“He killed them”, he says simply, his hand clenched into a fist. “Told you we’ve all killed before.” 

Lando stares at him, his mind instinctively wandering back to Dan’s wide smile, the dimples and the row of perfect white teeth. 

He always seems so relaxed, cheerful and carefree - he can’t imagine him killing _anyone_. But then again, he also can’t imagine Charles killing anyone and he keeps eating his pasta. “Okay.” 

What else is he supposed to say? 

Charles stares at him but before he can go down the whole ‘I’m dangerous and you should _definitely_ stay away from me’ route again, Lando clears his throat.

“What happened to you? I mean, how did you- how did you die?” 

Can you ask someone how they died? Is it rude? Well, maybe but he has also never met a vampire before so how should he know. 

Charles blinks, a shadow falling over his face before he composes himself, forcing himself to smile. 

“I was born on the 16th of October 1900 in Monaco”, he starts, staring out of the window. “I had two brothers, Lorenzo who was older than me, and...Arthur. My younger brother.” 

There’s a pained edge in his voice and Lando lets him talk, just finishing his pasta and listening. 

“We were pretty wealthy - my Dad paid for my music lessons and we all went to a private school. I wasn’t close to my father but he cared for us and I loved my mum. A lot. And I always got along pretty well with my brothers.” 

Charles smiles sadly, playing with the napkin on the table. 

“In 1918, the Spanish Flu reached Monaco and killed my whole family. Lewis found me in a hospital in December 1918, as the last living member of my family - I was eighteen and dying of the Spanish Flu. Just like everyone else before me.” 

Charles takes a deep breath, slowly ripping the napkin apart. 

“I was alone, which made it easier - no one would notice that I disappeared. No one would miss me.”

“Why did he turn you?”, Lando asks quietly. “Like-“

“He was lonely”, Charles interrupts him with a hoarse voice. “And my Mama- she knew Lewis. Knew he was different. Begged him to do everything he could in his power to save me. And Lewis has always been the most compassionate, the most humane of all of us.” 

He stares out of the window and Lando quietly takes his hand, squeezing it. 

“You see, he met Nico - my Papa - two years before he turned me. Summer 1916, Monaco. They both attended the same ball and they immediately fell in love. Talked the whole night, argued a lot because they’re both stubborn as fuck-“, Charles smiles at that, “and even kissed at one point.”

Lando listened fascinated, the rest of his pasta long forgotten. 

“Lewis fell head over heels for him, even thought about telling him everything, turning him- which, mind you, is a big deal. Especially at a time where being homosexual was still illegal and punished. But when he saw him again, Nico was engaged to some woman. Lewis was absolutely heartbroken, swearing to himself to never fall for a human again and he left - the event, not Monaco.”

Charles runs a hand through his hair and chews on his bottom lip. 

“He never got over him though and he stayed in Monaco with me because I was still a newborn and it was easier to stay than to travel.”

“How did he- what happened? They’re married now, right?”, Lando asks curiously and Charles nods. “Yeah. Two years after he turned me, Lewis was working in the hospital in Monte Carlo, he got a message that someone committed suicide - jumped off the cliffs. He should examine the body, confirm it was really suicide.” 

Charles smiles wryly and Lando stares at him. “Nico- he jumped off a cliff?!” 

“Mhm. He was forced to marry a woman he didn’t love and lost his heart to Lewis the night they met. He couldn’t bear it anymore, didn’t want to spend his life with a woman he never loved and hide the fact that he’s gay. Knowing he’d never see the true love of his life ever again.”

“Oh my god”, Lando whispers and Charles nods. “Luckily for all of us, his heart was still beating faintly and Lewis turned him immediately. Nico actually thought he died and went to heaven after he woke up and saw Lewis again, mistaking him for an angel.” 

He chuckles and Lando smiles, deep in thoughts. “So Nico got turned in 1920?” 

“Yep.”

“What about the others?” Lando doesn’t want to pry but this is incredibly interesting and Charles frowns, thinking. “Next one was Max, 1925 in Amsterdam.” 

“Wait, Max is _Dutch_?!” Lando stares at him and Charles laughs. “ _That’s_ what you get from this?” 

“I’m just saying.” Lando raises his hands defensively, grinning and Charles snorts, his eyes soft though. 

“I only realised a little later that Lewis had hoped that Max would be to me what Nico is to him - he was pretty careful with his thoughts around me.” 

Charles rolls his eyes and Lando blinks. “You and Max-“

“Were never a thing, would never work and are nothing more than brothers”, Charles ends, pulling a face. “I love him - most of the time - but we were never attracted to each other.” 

“But Lewis turned him solely for that purpose?” Lando stares at him, it sounds incredibly cruel but Charles shakes his head, his expression suddenly guarded. “No. I told you Lewis is the most compassionate one of us and Max had- anyway, that wasn’t the reason. Just a side effect.” 

It’s clear he doesn’t want to go deeper into Max’s backstory and Lando debates if it’s his place to ask - he _is_ curious - when Charles keeps talking. 

“We had to leave Amsterdam for...reasons and Max found Dan just three years later in Sweden. He was wrestling with a bear and nearly died.” Charles snorts and Lando stares at him. “Dan - an _Australian_ \- was wrestling with a _bear_? In _Sweden_?!”

“Yeah, it’s actually quite a funny story, you should ask him one day.” Charles grins and Lando thinks back to Dan, trying to imagine him fighting with a bear. It fits somehow and he suppresses a shiver.

“Kimi and Seb joined us in the 50s - Lewis didn’t turn them. Kimi is actually a quite old vampire, a bit younger than Lewis and was in the military - or rather army. Died on the battlefield and got turned by another unknown vampire.” 

Charles stares out of the window again before he gives Lando a quick smile. “And Seb- we don’t know. It’s a complete mystery, no one knows who turned him and he doesn’t remember much of his human life. He woke up alone - or at least that’s what he’s always telling us and it’s not my place to pry for more in his head.”

“Isn’t that incredibly dangerous and stupid?”, Lando comments dryly. “Letting him wake up alone I mean-“

“Oh, it is. And if he didn’t have his visions that he’d meet Kimi and us, who knows what he would’ve done.” Charles bites his lips and Lando frowns. “Okay, what is it with these visions? You said he _saw_ us becoming friends? Is that a figure of speech, or...” 

“It’s his special ability, his gift.” Charles gives him a crooked grin and Lando stares at him, everything making sense suddenly. “Oh my god, you actually _can_ read minds!”

“I told you.” Charle looks smug and Lando glares at him. “What am I thinking right now?” 

_’You dick.’_

“I told you already, I can’t read yours.” Charles sounds frustrated and Lando breathes out in relief. “Oh thank fuck.” 

“Why?” Charles frowns and Lando snorts. “Because I don’t need my boyfriend in my head all the time??” 

“It sucks”, Charles comments dryly. “Everyone is basically throwing their thoughts at me all the time and then with you where I’d actually love to know what you’re thinking- nothing.” 

“It’s better this way, mate, believe me.” Lando rolls his eyes and Charles grins. “That’s what you said.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Lando waves dismissively and scraps the last bit of pasta on his fork. “So what about Seb?”

“He can see the future.” 

Lando nearly chokes on his pasta and Charles laughs, gently patting his back. “Or more like, different versions of it. It’s all very subjective, the future isn’t set in stone - things change.”

“The future?” 

“Yeah. He also likes fucking with us, like in 2000 he convinced Lewis for a whole week that disco fashion is coming back again - it was awful.” Charles shakes his head in mock disappointment but he’s grinning. “And when he spoilered the ending to Game of Thrones Max was ready to kill him - he messed with us though, Sansa did not get the Iron Throne.” 

Lando takes a deep breath, it’s a lot to take in and Charles gives him a worried look. “Are you okay, if it’s too much-“ 

“I still have questions”, Lando reminds him and Charles raises his hands defensively. “Alright, hit me.” 

“What about the others?”

“Kimi is the only other one who has a special gift in our family. He’s able to manipulate the emotions of those around him - calm down a room of angry people, for example. It’s a very subtle gift.” 

“That’s so cool”, Lando slips out and Charles grins. “It is. Also means he feels everyone’s thirst on top of his own but that’s why he has nearly perfect self-control - he couldn’t go to school otherwise.” 

They stay quiet after that, Lando still trying to comprehend all the information he got and he starts cleaning his plate, trying to occupy himself. 

Charles is 102 years old - 120 if you count his human years as well. He has lived through two World Wars, the Cold War, the Franco Era, the Thatcher government and the early 2000s. He saw all of that with his own eyes and he takes a deep breath, trying to comprehend all of it somehow. 

“My family wants to meet you.” Charles’ voice behind him startles him but before his plate can fall to the ground, Charles catches it quickly and places it gently on the counter. 

“They’re curious”, he adds, a sheepish smile on his face. “I talk quite a lot about you.”

Oh my god. Lando stares at him, he can’t help but panic a little - what if they don’t like him? What if he embarrasses himself? What if he says something stupid, offends them? 

“I can see you’re overthinking, baby”, Charles says gently, lifting his chin up with one finger. “What is it?”

“What if they don’t like me?”, Lando blurts out and Charles stares at him, actually speechless. “You’re going to a house full of vampires and you’re scared they won’t _like_ you?!” 

He stares at him in disbelief and Lando pulls on his bottom lip with his teeth, shrugging helplessly. “Mate, they’re still your family most of all. And your brother already hates me.” 

“They’re gonna love you.” Charles pulls him in his arms, pressing a soft kiss against his temple. “Lewis and Nico are really excited that I found you. And Seb and Dan are curious to finally meet you properly - same goes for Kimi. He just doesn’t show it as much as the others.”

“And then there’s Max”, Lando points out dryly but Charles just rolls his eyes. “Told you to ignore him.”

Lando nods, taking a deep breath. 

“When?” 

“Tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we will meet the family in two days skdjsd but I wanted to give them time to actually talk and develop their relationship a bit :') 
> 
> I also changed Kimi's backstory a bit for the sole reason that I like it better this way lmao and adapted smaller things for other ones 
> 
> All the love to all of you, I'm still not over Lando's podium ksdjfdkf
> 
> 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛


	10. Chapter 10

To say Lando is nervous would be the understatement of the century. He’s definitely _not_ ready to meet Charles and his family but- well. Charles asked. Lando said yes. And now he’s waiting in front of his house that Charles picks him up and he closes his jacket when he feels the cold wind.

He refrained from wearing Charles’ hoodie today - he doesn’t need to give Max yet another reason to hate him and Lando knows better than to provoke a vampire. 

Speaking of vampire, his one is late and he nervously shifts his weight from one foot to the other, biting on his bottom lip. 

He has absolutely no idea what to expect - coffins? Dungeons? 

‘Don’t be ridiculous’, he chides himself and Lando runs a hand through his hair. As if Charles would sleep in a coffin. 

Okay, but he _is_ dramatic and edgy, so- 

The sound of an engine interrupts his thoughts and Lando involuntarily gets goosebumps - he knows it’s Charles’ Ferrari. Would recognise it everywhere and he takes another deep breath before he gets in the car. 

“Hey.” He forces himself to smile and sound confident but Charles looks right through his facade, kissing him softly. 

“Hey, _chéri_ ”, he mumbles against his lips, lingering there for a second before he pulls back. “Ready to meet a bunch of weirdos?” 

“They’re your family!”

“Yep, that’s why I’m the only one who’s allowed to say that.” Charles grins, starting the engine again and driving back on the road. “But really, they’re very excited to meet you.” 

“Lovely”, Lando mumbles, trying to hide his sarcasm while his stomach turns. Charles just chuckles quietly and his hand brushes over Lando’s thigh. 

“You’re really more worried that they won’t like you than you meeting a house full of vampires??” The disbelief is still there in his voice and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“Look, I’m actually trying not to think too much about what I’m about to do so can’t you just tell me some random story from, I don’t know, the 60s?” 

“The 60s?!” Charles stares at him, they’re out of Brampton by now and Lando shrugs. “Not good?”

“The 80s and 90s were _so much_ better! And I’m not just saying that because I saw Queen live at Wembley in 1986.” 

Charles has a huge grin on his face and Lando turns towards him, staring at him incredulously. “No way!” 

“Yep.” Charles’ grin widens, speeding a little and Lando is genuinely shocked. 

“You saw Freddie Mercury _live_? At Wembley?”, he asks again and Charles laughs, golden eyes sparkling - they’re looking like topaz today. “I did. Dan, Max, Seb and I went, we lived in London at that time. It was absolutely epic.” 

“I’m so fucking jealous!” Lando shakes his head incredulously and Charles laughs. “Being immortal does have its perks. I also met The Queen. And Princess Diana.” 

“How?!” 

“Lewis has some connections - told you the 80s were great.” Charles smirks and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“You’re so fucking _old_!” He can’t hold back the grin anymore and now it’s Charles’ turn to stare at him. “Excuse you?!” 

“I’m not the one who just complained about the 60s being boring, mate.” Lando laughs and Charles stares at him for another moment before he laughs as well, dimples showing. 

Lando is still not over his laugh and he nearly forgot where they’re going until Charles suddenly turns left, driving into the dense forest and he swallows dryly. “The forest? How original.” 

“It’s where we can truly be ourselves.” Charles shrugs, driving over an unpaved road. It was unmarked, barely visible among the ferns and bushes, the forest encroaching on both sides. 

The road twists around the ancient trees until the woods thin a little and there’s a small lawn in front of them. A few tall trees stand directly next to the house, the long branches shielding it and Charles parks in front of the door to - what Lando assumes - is the garage.

“Home sweet home.” He grins and Lando follows him out of the car, staring at the huge house in front of him. He doesn’t know what exactly he expected but it’s definitely not this. 

The house is surprisingly modern, including at least three storeys with tall glass windows and Lando hesitantly follows Charles through the main door. 

“You like it?”, Charles asks while he takes his jacket off him and Lando swallows dryly, completely overwhelmed by the sheer size of the house. “Yeah. It’s ... nice. Not what I expected.” 

He runs a hand through his hair, somehow trying to fix it and Charles gives him a soft smile, interlacing their fingers. 

“You look lovely”, he says quietly and Lando blushes. “Thanks, you look quite alright yourself as well”, he mumbles and Charles snorts. “So what did you expect? Dungeons? Coffins? Chains?” 

“Not the chains.” Lando grins weakly. “It’s so ... open and bright.” 

“It’s the one place we never have to hide.” Charles takes his hand, leading him further into the house and Lando looks around curiously. It’s modern, welcoming, a few historical objects are tastefully placed through the house and there are even family pictures on the walls. 

He can hear some faint Enrique Iglesias playing from another room and Lando turns to Charles with a questioning look in his eyes. Charles just sighs deeply, rolling his eyes - he’s still holding his hand. 

“I told them not to do this”, he mumbles before leading him to the left into a big, open kitchen. Lando follows him confused and he wants to ask but then he spots the other four people and he stops next to Charles. 

Lewis is standing at the kitchen island, cutting some vegetables while Dan has a knife in his hand, also preparing something. Max is standing next to him, holding a bowl with some salad and he looks something between uncomfortable, bored and annoyed. 

The fourth man is as tall as Lewis, has the same breathtaking beauty as everyone else in the family, with blonde hair, perfect features and golden eyes - that must be Nico then. 

“Is he even Spanish?”, Max asks annoyedly and Dan grins. “His name is Lando, that’s a Spanish name.” 

They all look up when they enter the kitchen and Lando tries to ignore Max’ icy glare. 

“Lando! We cooked Paella Valenciana for you!” Nico wipes his hands clean on a towel before he comes towards him, a warm smile on his face - Lando feels himself relax immediately. 

“ _Gracias_ ”, he mumbles and shakes the hand Nico offers him - his skin is incredibly smooth but just as cold as Charles and he takes a deep breath, his heartbeat still surprisingly calm. 

“That’s Nico - my Papa”, Charles introduces him before he rolls his eyes at the others. “And they basically just googled what the most popular dish is in Spain.”

“Don’t call us out like that, mate.” Dan laughs and Lando hears the Australian accent in his voice. “How else are we supposed to know, we haven’t been to Spain since the 40s.” 

Lando’s eyes fall on the iPad that’s leaning next to Lewis on the counter and Nico smirks. “Lewis wanted to make a vegan version but I had paella once so we are making my version.” 

“I’m just saying vegan would be better for the environment-“ 

“Max was the only one who read the recipe and said it’s actually with fish”, Dan throws in and Nico sighs. “Yes, but Charles said Lando hates fish so we take chicken.”

“Anyway”, Charles interrupts their discourse and Lando holds back a smile while Charles points at the others. 

“So, you’ve met Lewis”, Lewis gives him a warm smile, “Dan”, Dan waves at him with the knife, a huge grin on his face, “and Max.” Max just stares at him with an unreadable expression on his face and Lando forces himself to smile. 

“Hi.”

“It’s really nice to know you”, Nico says sincerely, a warm smile on his face and Lewis steps next to him. 

“You’ve given is an excuse to use the kitchen a bit more often.” He laughs, running a hand through his braids and Lando only notices now all the tattoos on his arms - he didn’t see them in the hospital. 

He also only notices now that Dan has also quite a few tattoos and he tears his gaze away, looking back to the others. 

“I hope you’re hungry”, Nico says while preparing the rice and Lando nods quickly, still holding on to Charles’ hand. “Absolutely.” 

He’s not sure how he’s supposed to get anything down at all, he’s still nervous but it smells pretty good and Nico, Lewis and Dan seem nice enough. 

“It’s really nice that you- you know- because you don’t eat-“ Lando blushes and Lewis gives him a warm smile but before he can say something, Max breaks the bowl in his hands, glass shattering on the floor and Lando flinches. 

It’s dead silent after that, everyone staring at them and Max’ takes a step forward so he’s in front of Lando. 

“Peachy”, he hisses and Lando notices from the corner of his eyes that Dan slowly comes towards him. “Maxy-”

“Ignore Max, I do”, Charles mumbles in his ear and Lando blinks, not sure what to say. “I just-“

“Yes, let's keep pretending this isn't dangerous for all of us”, Max growls, a cold look in his golden eyes and Lando is actually intimidated by him. And a little annoyed. But mostly intimidated. 

“I would never tell anyone-“

“He knows that”, Nico says calmly and Dan steps next to Max, quietly putting an arm around his neck. 

“I mean, the whole town knows by now that you two are dating, sooo...” He gives them a crooked grin and Lewis sighs. “Dan.” 

“No, he should know”, Max says, a sharp edge in his voice. “It’s not just about Charles, it’s about all of us! The whole fucking family will get dragged into this if this ends badly!” 

The last part of his sentence hangs heavy in the air, uncomfortably and Lando takes a deep breath - Charles isn’t looking at him, fixating some spot on the wall. 

“I’m not planning on becoming Charles’ next dinner”, Lando counters dryly, not sure where that courage suddenly comes from but he’s pretty sure Charles is gonna protect him if Max tries to kill him. 

Max stares at him incredulously while Dan chokes back a laughter, grinning and Lewis laughs. “That’s good to know, kid.” 

Charles grins as well, putting his arms around his waist and Lando relaxes a little while Max rolls his eyes and walks back into the kitchen, Nico calling “Clean that up!” after him. 

Dan gives Lando an apologising smile before he follows his boyfriend and Lando bites on his bottom lip - careful not to draw blood.

“Hey, Charles!” Lando looks up at the familiar voice, Seb coming down the stairs in a blur, Lando just seeing some blonde hair before he gets hugged and Seb presses a kiss on his cheek, beaming at him. 

“Oh, you do smell good.” He grins, showing a row of perfectly white teeth and Lando blinks, taken aback by his heartiness. “...thanks?”

“Seb.” Charles rolls his eyes but Seb just laughs, taking a step back. “You know me already and that’s Kimi.” 

“Hey.” Kimi nods at him but there’s the hint of a smile on his face and Lando blushes. 

He’s a little intimidated by him but then he feels a sudden calmness surrounding him and he frowns - until his gaze falls on Kimi who gives him a small smile. 

“Come on, let’s have lunch”, Lewis says at that moment, lifting the huge pan from the stove and Lando follows them in a big dining room. It has tall windows as well, natural light coming in and Charles pulls him on a chair next to him. 

There are eight plates around the table but Lando realises pretty quickly that the only ones who are actually eating are Charles, Dan and Lando himself. He blushes, picking in the paella - which tastes absolutely amazing - and he’s glad Lewis and Nico make some conversation, Lewis talking about work. 

“Can I ask you guys something?”, Lando asks when Lewis finished his story and he blushes when seven pairs of golden eyes look at him. 

“Sure, what is it?” Nico gives him an open smile and Lando can feel Charles’ arm around his waist. It calms him and he’s really grateful his boyfriend is eating with him - and if it’s just out of solidarity. 

“How exactly does food taste to you?” 

“Like shit”, Max mumbles which gets him a glare from Nico and Lewis but Lando actually has to grin at that - he appreciates the honesty. 

“He’s a bit dramatic, it’s not that bad”, Dan throws in, grinning as well. “Have you ever eaten dirt?” 

“Yeah? Who hasn’t?”, Lando counters and Dan laughs. “Valid point. It’s not as bad as dirt but just really...tasteless?” 

“Have you tried spicing it with blood?”, Lando suggests dryly and Charles chokes on his food, coughing while Dan bursts out laughing. Seb, Lewis and Nico are grinning while Kimi stares at him speechless and Max rolls his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest. 

“We should try that”, Charles says with a hoarse voice after he swallowed his food and Lewis grins. “We should.” 

“Nico made blood popsicles for us in summer though”, Seb throws in and Charles rolls his eyes. “Yeah and Dan is banned from them indefinitely since he tried deepthroating them.”

Lando stares at them while Dan grins, Max rolling his eyes and Kimi smirks. Blood popsicles?! 

“I started with one and then several, it was fun-”

“Thanks, Dan”, Nico interrupts him dryly and Charles grins. “Banned indefinitely.” 

Lando shakes his head amused. 

“The paella tastes really good though...thank you for the effort”, he says, blushing. “But you really didn’t have to.” 

“Oh please, it was no bother, dear.” Nico waves dismissively but his smile is genuine and Lando leans against Charles. 

They finish their food, Max disappearing with Dan the second his boyfriend finished and Charles rolls his eyes while they help Nico bringing the plates in the kitchen.

He gives him a tour of the house after that, showing him around a bit more and Lando stops when he sees the huge piano in the corner of the living room. 

“Do you play?”, he asks and Charles nods, his smile nearly shy. “I do.” 

“Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Cook.” Lando flinches when Seb suddenly appears next to him and Charles flips him off. “Shut up.” 

“You should play for him”, Kimi points out (when did he show up?!) and Charles hesitates. “No, Nico said showing-off is rude-“ 

“There are exceptions to that rule”, Kimi interrupts him dryly and Charles sighs but there’s a small smile on his face. “Alright.”

He pulls Lando next to him on the bench, taking a deep breath and then his fingers fly over the keys, playing a melody so complex and beautiful and luxuriant that Lando is speechless. 

It’s breathtaking, soft and sweet and Charles gives him a long look. 

“You inspired this one”, he whispers, he’s still playing and Lando can’t speak, the lump in his throat too big. Charles wrote this for him?! 

It’s so fucking cheesy but- also so fucking beautiful. 

“They like you, you know”, Charles says casually, still playing that sweet composition. “Especially Nico. He thinks you’re good for me.” 

Lando looks behind him but the huge room is empty now and he frowns. “Where are they?” 

“Very subtly giving us some privacy, I guess.” Charles shrugs and he stops playing, pulling Lando in his arms. “They’re all leaving later so we’ll be alone.” 

There’s an implication in that sentence Lando can’t quite place yet and he smiles, something in his stomach tingling. “Okay.”

“They really like you”, Charles murmurs and Lando swallows. “ _They_ like me. But Max and Dan...” 

“Told you not to worry about Max, he just needs a bit of time. And he’s just as stubborn as me.” Charles gives him a crooked grin and Lando hesitates. “Dan?”

“Thinks _I’m_ insane but he genuinely likes you. Thinks you’re fun and adorable and he’s trying to talk some sense into Max.”

“What exactly _is_ Max’ problem?”

“He- we are his family, something he- he just wants to protect us.” Charles stumbles a little over his words and he gives him a sheepish smile. “And he’s a bit jealous of you.” 

“ _Jealous_?!” Lando stares at him incredulously, shaking his head. How could someone as perfect and beautiful as Max Verstappen be jealous of someone like him?! He has absolutely no reason but Charles shrugs. 

“Just give him time.” 

He gets up, taking his hand again and kissing him gently. 

“Don’t worry, it will be alright”, he mumbles before he gives him a cheeky smile. “You wanna see the rest of the house?” 

“Of course!” 

“Then let’s go.” 

They walk up the different staircases, the hall on top painted in a friendly white, making it bright and open and Charles nods at different doors and parts. 

“Max and Dan’s room - we banned them from having sex in the house though-“ Lando nearly chokes on his spit and he turns to Charles, staring at him. “What?!” 

“They’re loud”, Charles says dryly while leading him past the room. “Even if we didn’t have supernatural hearing it would be unbearable.” 

“DON’T BE JEALOUS, LECLERC!”, Dan suddenly yells from behind the door and while Lando grins, Charles rolls his eyes. “I’m _not_. Anyway, Seb and Kimi’s room, Lewis’ office...”

Lando stops paying attention when they pass a huge painting - or it isn’t really a painting but rather a collection of silk squares with tassels. 

“Holy shit”, he mumbles and Charles grins. “Some people collect stamps, we collect uni degrees.” 

“That’s so cool”, Lando mumbles, eyes gliding over the different graduation caps. “You all really go to uni?” 

“Yeah. Max has multiple degrees in Medicine and Aerospace Engineering for example.” Charles shrugs. “Learning is very easy for us and it helps Lewis to stay up to date with modern medicine.” 

“Holy shit”, Lando mumbles. “What did you study?” 

“I wasn’t that ambitious.” Charles grins and nods at a few caps. “I did French Literature, Music and Fashion - did an internship at Alexander McQueen in the 90s.” 

Lando blinks, eyes travelling over the Burberry T-Shirt, the dark skinny jeans and he holds back a smirk when he sees that even Charles’ socks seem to be some designer brand - looks like Prada but Lando isn’t sure. 

“You met Alexander McQueen?”, he asks, just to make sure and Charles nods. “I did.” 

“Jesus”, Lando mumbles, eyes falling back on all the different graduation caps. 

There’s an old painting directly next to them and he steps forward, drawing in a sharp breath when he reads the small caption on the sign below. 

“You own a Rubens painting??” 

He’s by no means an art expert but even he knows Rubens is kind of a big deal and Charles laughs. “Yeah. It’s Lewis’ and super ugly if you ask me but I guess it brings some historical value to the house.” 

“Lewis collects antique art?” Not what Lando would’ve expected but Charles shakes his head. “No, his father got it as a gift from Rubens himself.” 

The sentence hangs heavy in the air and Lando slowly turns to Charles, somehow trying to remember when Rubens was alive. 1500? 1600? Definitely a fucking long time ago and Charles gives him a crooked grin. “Ask.”

“How old is Lewis?” Lando lowers his voice a little even though he’s pretty sure everyone in the house can hear him and Charles laughs. “Come on.” 

He leads him through another hallway before he knocks on a door, entering and they’re in some kind of office - must be Lewis’. 

Bookshelves line the walls, tall windows show the forest and a small river outside but the most prominent thing in here is a big desk, an iMac on it and Lewis looks up from his computer. 

“Charles, Lando. How can I help you?” His smile is warm and Lando needs a moment. Lewis looks- he doesn’t _look_ like a dad or a surgeon in a hospital.

He’s wearing a simple T-Shirt, all his tattoos on display (even though Lando doesn’t know if it’s all of them), he’s wearing diamond studs and a piercing, hair braided back and Lando doubts he’ll ever get over their golden eyes. 

They’re beautiful and Charles grins. “Lando has questions.” 

“I can’t just ask him how old he is!” Lando turns to him to glare at him but Charles waves dismissively. “You asked me too.”

“Yeah, but you’re my boyfriend. I’m not asking my boyfriend’s _Dad_!” 

“It’s fine, Lando”, Lewis throws in, he has an amused look on his face and leans back in his chair. “I really don’t mind.”

“Alright then...how old are you? Because Charles just said you’re old.” Lando gives him a sheepish smile and Lewis rolls his eyes at Charles. “Charming as always, thanks.” 

“Just stating the facts.” Charles raises his hands defensively and Lewis nods to a comfortable looking armchair. “You want to take a seat?” 

Before Lando can react Charles has pulled him with an inhuman speed on his lap on the chair and Lando blinks, his brain needing a moment to catch up with the action. 

“Show-off”, he mumbles and Charles grins, pressing a kiss against his cheek. “You love it.” 

Lewis, who has watched them with a fond expression on his face, clears his throat and Lando’s eyes snap back to him, not being able to hide his curiosity. 

“I was born in January 1605 in London”, Lewis starts, frowning a bit. “I can’t tell you the day - people haven’t been that exact with counting back then and I came from a poor family so they didn’t care.” 

1605- Lewis is- Lando swallows dryly, trying to do the math but then Lewis keeps talking. 

“My father was an Anglican pastor at our local church, my mother died when I was young. I never had a real connection to my parents but I didn’t really mind. I tried to make the best with what I’d got and tried somehow getting into a university. I've always wanted to help people, you know?” 

Lando listened fascinated, he can’t imagine Lewis at all in the 17th-century in London but his story is so compelling and Lewis’ gentle voice keeps talking. 

“My father and other pastors hunted creatures like witches, werewolves and”, there’s a bitter smirk on Lewis’ face, “vampires. I didn’t agree with what he did - killing so many innocent people out of superstition, obviously never catching the real vampires. And to be fair, I also didn’t believe in those things. But my father didn’t accept any criticism and- look, it was the 17th-century.” 

Lewis has a wry smile on his lips, absentmindedly playing with his wedding ring.

“My father wanted me to continue his ‘legacy’ or whatever he called it - I refused. One night on my way back home, I got attacked by a vampire.” Lewis stares out of the window and he sighs. “Bit me and left me in the streets to die.”

“But you didn’t”, Lando points out quietly and Lewis gives him a small smile. “Technically I did. My heart stopped beating that night - I was 35 at that point.” 

“So 1640?”, Lando asks, not sure if he’s allowed to speak and Lewis nods. “Yep. The year Rubens died as well so we have that in common.” He gives them a crooked grin and Lando stares at him. Lewis got turned in 1640, that’s means- 

“I’m 380 years old”, Lewis says calmly and Lando needs a moment. The man in front of him- it’s impossible. It was already impossible when Charles told him he’s 102 but- it’s Charles. And Lando has a better understanding of what happened in the 20th-century than of what happened in the 17th-century. 

“After I realised what happened to me- I was horrified. I never wanted to hurt anyone, I despised myself so much and I tried quite a few ways to kill myself.” Lewis sighs, running a hand over his face. 

“Jumped from great heights. Tried drowning myself. Stabbed myself. It all didn’t work - obviously.” Lewis is still playing with the wedding ring on his finger and when he looks up, Lando sees the pain in his eyes. 

“After I realised that I truly am immortal, I hid from society, starving myself - which is basically the stupidest thing you could do. But I didn’t know better, went all the way up to Scotland and hid in the woods. It was...the worst experience of my existence. Well, next after I thought I'd lost Nico.” 

“How did you-“ Lando doesn’t know how to ask this but Lewis just gives him a kind smile. “Survive? I was unable to endure the hunger any longer and I killed a deer one night. I realised I can survive off animal blood as well and that’s what I did. Went back to society, perfected my self-control and became a doctor so I could still help people.” 

Lewis looks at him, eyes turning serious. “But of course there was always a temptation. I went to Paris in the 18th-century to work for the FIA-“ 

“Who? Sorry.” Lando blushes when he interrupts him but Lewis just waves dismissively. “The FIA - the organisation that keeps an eye on most vampires in the world and makes sure we’re not exposed.” 

“Corrupt bastards”, Charles mumbles and Lando frowns, leaning back a little. “So like a government.” 

“Kinda, except that we don’t have proper laws and they will execute you if you endanger us.” Lewis gives him a bitter smile and Lando gets goosebumps, swallowing dryly. “And you worked for them?” 

“Yeah. It was ... interesting to say the least but I preferred staying on my own - especially because they expected me to drink human blood.” A shadow falls on Lewis’ face and he takes a deep breath. 

“I went for murderers, rapists- the bad people. Or that’s what I always told myself because who am I to judge others? But I realised pretty quickly that I couldn’t live like that so after 20 years I left Paris and moved on.” 

Lewis leans back, his eyes falling on a world map that’s hanging on the wall. 

“I’m pretty sure Charles told you how I met him and things got better from there.” He gets up, grabbing his phone and wallet and gives them another smile. “I need to go, I have to cover the night shift for Dr Brundle.” 

He heads for the door and Lando hesitantly gets up. 

“Thank you for telling me”, he says quietly and Lewis turns around, a surprised look in his eyes. “Of course, it’s absolutely no bother, Lando. Look after yourself.” 

He disappears, leaving them alone in his office and Charles is next to him in a millisecond, kissing him. 

“Too much?”, he asks quietly but Lando shakes his head. “No. It was really interesting and...I feel honoured you all trust me so much.” 

“You’re part of the family now.” Charles gives him a cheeky smile and takes his hand, pulling him out of the office as well. “Come on, I still gotta show you my room.” 

Lando blinks, still thinking over the ‘you’re part of the family now’ part when they walk up the stairs and Charles stops in front of a door at the end of the hallway. 

“That’s my room”, he says, opening the door and Lando follows him inside, curiously looking around. He has the same wall-sized windows as the rest of the house, carpet on the floor and it’s big. 

One wall is lined by bookshelves, there is some art on the wall and a huge bed in the corner. It looks comfortable, everything in here is in soft, warm colours and Lando spots a TV with a PlayStation in the other corner. 

Next to the bed are hundreds of old theatre and musical tickets, pinned to the wall and Lando smiles. 

“So what’s your favourite musical?” He turns towards Charles who has watched him with an insecure expression on his face but now his eyes light up. “Hamilton! It’s so cliché, I know, but I’ve been three times already and it’s just so good like I've seen the original cast in New York and then went twice in London- But I’ve also basically seen every other theatre play or musical there is, I just really love going and Six is so underrated and Phantom of the Opera is also really good and- sorry.” 

He gives him a sheepish smile when he realises he's rambling, he seems genuinely passionate about it and Lando smiles, his heart full of love for Charles. He wants to say something but when he looks left there’s a huge walk-in closet and Lando holds back a grin, stepping closer. 

It’s filled with designer clothes, an insane amount of hoodies and shoes, trainers neatly lined up on the bottom and Lando’s hand trails over the soft fabric of the hoodies. 

His gaze falls on a huge mirror between the closets and he raises his eyebrows when Charles walks up, hugging him from behind. “You can see yourself in the mirror?” 

“Of course? Do you know what a nightmare it would be to get ready in the morning otherwise??” Charles stares at him and Lando grins, leaning back against him and enjoying the skin contact. 

“Bold of you to assume that Charles could live without a mirror in his existence.” Lando flinches when Dan suddenly appears next to him, Max leaning against the wall with a sour expression on his face and Charles rolls his eyes.

“Shut up.” 

Lando grins, walking back in Charles’ room, the three vampires following him and his gaze falls back on the PlayStation in the corner. 

“And I see you got yourself a PlayStation”, he comments and Charles bites his lip, nodding. “Yeah.” 

“He’s rubbish at it”, Max comments dryly and Lando turns towards him, surprised he said something at all and he can’t hold back a grin. “I know.” 

They stare at each other for a moment, Max’ lip twitching, fighting back a grin and Dan laughs. “Peachy. We just came to say that we’re all leaving now as well - look after yourself, don't get killed or kill someone.” 

He winks at them and while Lando blushes, Charles growls annoyedly, taking a step towards him - but before he can do something, Dan already jumped out of the window and Max sighs. 

He gives them another look, he looks like he wants to say something before he shakes his head barely noticeable and follows his boyfriend out of the window.

Lando rushes over, looking outside and he blushes when he sees Max and Dan make out below them, Max’s cap still perfectly in place as if he didn’t just jump from five meters. 

He turns back to Charles who’s watching him with an amused smile and Lando wants to say something when he notices the pictures on the wall and nightstand. 

He steps closer and a smile appears on his face. 

It’s mostly Charles with his family: in Disneyland, wearing Mickey’s Ears - at some concert - some fashion show - some beach, his skin sparkling - him with all of his brother’s at graduation. 

Some pictures look like they’re just a few years old, others like they’re from the 80s or even earlier and some are even in black and white. 

Charles looks happy in all of them and Lando’s gaze falls on a picture of Charles, Max and Dan. Charles is wearing some extravagant jacket with red and purple, Max has his cap as usual and Dan wears round sunglasses, his curls a mess. 

They’re on top of a mountain, all of them having a big smile on their face, Max having an arm around his brother and boyfriend and Lando turns to Charles. 

“When was that?” 

“Himalaya, 2005.” Charles strolls over, a smile spreading over his face when he sees the picture. “We wanted a challenge so we climbed the Mount Everest.” 

Lando blinks, staring at Charles. Did his boyfriend just casually tell him that he climbed the Mount Everest? In _that jacket_?! 

“You’re kidding me”, he manages to say but Charles shakes his head. “No, we really went. Was a lot of fun - jumping down was the best thing!” His eyes shine with excitement and Lando stares at him. 

“Jumping down the Mount Everest?”

Sure, who doesn’t do that in their free time. 

“Yeah. Heights don’t kill us so it’s just a major adrenaline rush.” Charles laughs and he hesitates, extending his hand towards Lando. “I can show you.” 

Lando takes a deep breath but he trusts Charles and he takes his hand. “Okay.” 

Charles pulls him on his back with one swift motion, carrying him as if it’s nothing and he walks towards the window. 

“Hold on tight, spider monkey.” 

“That is the worst thing you’ve ever said to me”, Lando comments dryly before he shrieks when Charles jumps out of the window. “CHARLES!” 

Charles just laughs before he starts running again, trees passing them in a blur and Lando’s grip around him tightens. 

He’s not particularly afraid but adrenaline is flowing through his veins, his stomach dropping and he doesn’t know if he should close his eyes or not. He still feels a little dizzy but it’s better than the last time and he’s glad Charles is holding him. 

The wind is ice-cold against his face and he regrets not taking his jacket - it’s still fucking December. 

“Don’t let go”, Charles says suddenly and Lando opens his eyes (he didn’t even notice he closed them). He nearly screams, they’re on top of a very tall tree that’s standing on a mountain and he’s glad Charles’ arm is around his waist. 

The view in front of them is incredible though and he takes a deep breath, his heart beating fast against his ribs. 

“Where are we?” His voice sounds pressed and Charles frowns. “Galloway Hills in Scotland. I thought about taking you to Ben Nevis but that would’ve taken us at least half an hour and it’s quite cold for you.” 

He pulls him closer and Lando nods, trying to ignore the cold. Wait. Ben Nevis?! That huge ass mountain in Scotland? 

“Ben Nevis is at least four hours by car”, he says slowly, turning to Charles - he doesn’t dare to look down. “How fast can you actually run?”

“Around 300 miles per hour.” Charles has a shit-eating grin on his face and Lando feels a little sick. 

“Oh god”, he mumbles, still holding on to Charles and trying to ignore how high up they are. It’s intoxicating, breathtaking and so dangerous and he loves it so much. 

“England is over there”, Charles waves to his right, “and that’s Scotland.” He looks to the left and Lando takes a deep breath, taking in the scenery. 

“That’s impossible”, he mumbles. “But so so cool.” 

“It is.” Charles has a proud grin on his face and Lando blushes, leaning against him. 

They enjoy the view for another five minutes before Charles gently pulls him on his back again. “You ready?” 

“For wha- CHARLES!” Lando screams when Charles jumps down the tree, the ground coming closer way too quick for his liking but the landing is incredibly soft, Charles gracefully landing on his feet and looking way too smug. 

“You bastard!” Lando stares at him, heart beating fast in his chest and Charles laughs loudly, looking so carefree that Lando can’t hold back a smile. “You fucking bastard.”

“You love me.”

“Debatable.”

“Bastard.” They grin at each other, Charles pulled him to his front so he can look at him and his eyes turn soft before he leans in, gently kissing him. Lando leans into the kiss, enjoying the moment and he’s a bit flushed when Charles pulls back. 

Charles still holds him up effortlessly, the muscles on his arm showing and Lando bites his lip. Fucking hell, they’re on some goddamn hill in Scotland, in the middle of December, freezing to death and he’s getting a boner. 

Charles, who has to have noticed his effect, smirks and gently pulls him back on his back. “Let’s get home, _chéri_.” 

He winks at him before he starts running again and Lando closes his eyes, putting his head against Charles’ back. 

They’re back to the house in mere minutes, it’s completely empty this time and Lando breathes out in relief when he’s back in Charles’ warm room. 

“Where are all the others?”, he asks after Charles brought him some warm milk, pulling the soft blanket tighter around him and Charles slips next to him into bed. 

“Lewis has the night shift and the others are spending the weekend in our flat in London.” 

“Isn’t that a bit fa- oh. Vampire speed.” 

“Exactly. We need roughly an hour to get to London.” Charles grins and Lando cuddles up, sipping on the milk. It has started to rain again outside and he feels warm, at home and safe and Charles plays with his hair. 

“You have a flat in London?” 

“Multiple and all around the world actually. Real estate is a good way to invest your money in.” Charles smirks and Lando slowly nods, finishing his milk. 

He doesn’t know how they ended up going from innocent cuddling to passionately making out but Lando definitely won’t complain. 

He presses himself closer against Charles, a small moan escaping him when Charles’ hands wander over his sides and he blushes immediately. 

Charles pulls back, a smirk on his face while his finger wanders over his cheek, his gaze more intense than Lando has ever seen it before. 

“I love that so much”, he murmurs, hand wandering down to his neck. “You have no idea.” 

“Me blushing?” Lando stares at him and Charles quietly laughs, nodding. “Yeah. I’m sorry if that’s weird and if you wanna stop here-“

“No”, Lando interrupts him with a hoarse voice and he presses himself closer again. “I- I want this.” 

“This?”, Charles whispers before he’s suddenly over him, kissing him deeply and Lando moans. Charles’ tongue explores his mouth, licking over his teeth and lips and then his hand is suddenly ghosting over his dick. 

Lando whimpers, burying one hand in Charles’ hair and pushes his hips up to get some friction. Charles laughs lowly, pulling back and while Lando is panting, Charles looks completely unbothered. 

Fucking vampire. 

“Yeah, this”, Lando manages to say and Charles smirks. “Good.” 

He starts pressing small kisses on his neck before he helps him out of his T-Shirt and Lando shivers involuntarily when the air hits his nipples. 

“You’re so beautiful”, Charles mumbles, his gaze wandering over Lando’s body and Lando can feel himself blush again. Goddamnit. 

“You tell me the second you’re uncomfortable or if something hurts, okay?” Charles turns serious, eyes looking intensively at him and Lando nods, letting his hand trail over Charles’ cheek. 

“Have you ever-“ He doesn’t finish the sentence and Charles smirks again. “Yeah, 102 years without sex would be pretty lame, no?” 

“So you can control yourself”, Lando whispers and Charles nods, eyes turning serious again. “Of course! Otherwise, I would’ve never-“ 

He stops and Lando smiles softly, pressing an innocent kiss against his lips. “Good.” 

“Have _you_ ever?”, Charles asks and Lando nods, biting his bottom lip. “Yeah.” 

He doubts that any of his past experiences can compare to Charles though and Charles smiles. “Alright.” 

He gets rid of his T-Shirt, carelessly throwing it in the corner and Lando’s hand trails over the firm muscles. 

Before he can do more though, Charles kisses him again, a bit more forcefully this time and a surprised moan escapes Lando’a lips. 

“Charles, please”, he whimpers when they break apart, Lando breathing harshly. “Please, touch me!” 

He’s not above begging, not with this absolute god over him and Charles grins, taking even more time. He presses soft kisses all over Lando’s body, his skilled hands massaging his muscles but leaving out the area between Lando’s legs. 

His lips linger a bit longer on Lando’s neck and he hates how much he wants Charles to bite him. And how much that thought turns him on. “Charles-“

“I’m here”, Charles mumbles, his voice going straight to Lando’s cock and he gives him a pleading look. He’s a mess below him, his curls sticking to his forehead and when Charles wraps his long fingers around Lando’s dick, he draws in a sharp breath. 

It’s not because he’s cold it’s more the fact that he _finally_ gets something and Charles kisses him, deep and languid while stroking his dick slowly. 

Lando doesn’t need long to become a moaning and whimpering mess under him and Charles brushes a few strands of Lando’s hair from his forehead. 

“You are so, so beautiful”, he whispers again, voice hoarse. “You have no idea.” 

Lando whimpers, wanting to push his hips up once more but Charles easily holds him down - it only turns Lando on even more. 

“Charles-“ Lando has trouble forming sentences at this point, his brain long gone and Charles gives him an innocent smile - fucking tease. 

“Please fuck me.” Lando moans when Charles keeps stroking his dick, his touch so light it’s nearly painful and he smirks. “Anything for you, _chéri_.” 

He reaches for something next to him on the nightstand, Lando sees a small bottle of lube and the thought that Charles _planned_ this turns him on even more. 

“Spread your legs - yes, like that, good boy.” Charles’ voice is still so low and Lando blushes at the praise, his dick leaking with precum already. Charles squeezes some lube on his finger, giving him a concerned look. 

“You sure?” 

“Yes.” Lando’s answer comes immediately and Charles nods before he leans down. Lando moans loudly when Charles starts eating him out, his tongue teasing the ring of muscles and he whimpers, he feels so fucking hot. 

Everything in him tickles but he forces his orgasm down, not wanting to cum just yet. But the sound Charles’ makes- the slurping noise- his _tongue_ \- before he can cum though Charles pulls back and Lando moans when he suddenly inserts a finger in him. 

It feels so fucking good and Charles takes his time to prepare him properly, slowly adding more fingers, watching how Lando falls apart below him. 

“Just look at you”, Charles mumbles, awe in his voice and Lando swallows, his mouth completely dry. He draws in a shaky breath, Charles’ self-control is not from this world and he whines when Charles pulls his fingers out. 

He’s _so_ close and Charles smirks, quickly getting rid of the rest of his clothes before squeezing some lube on his dick. He spreads Lando’s legs a little bit more, pulling him closer and gives him another worried look. 

“You’re ready?”, he asks and when Lando nods, he slowly pushes into him. He stills when he sees Lando wince, his grip only tightening a little on his hips and when Lando gives him another small nod, he pushes in completely. 

“My good boy, you’re doing so well”, Charles mumbles, hand caressing over Lando’s stomach. “I’m so proud of you, taking it so well.” 

He waits a moment, seconds ticking by and Lando tries catching his breath. Charles feels so good in him, so full and perfect and he knows he’s so close to coming. 

He nods and when Charles starts moving, setting a slow but steady pace- Lando feels like he’s losing his mind, everything in him becoming too hot too quickly. He falls apart below Charles’ steady thrusts, Charles somehow still being so gentle with him and Lando screams when he hits his prostate. 

“Fuck, CHARLES!” He cums not a second after that, his one hand gripping the sheets below him while the other one reaches for Charles’ and he has the feeling he blacks out for a second. 

His head is spinning, everything is warm and tickling and sticky, there’s cum on his belly, his chest rising and falling quickly while Charles fucks him for another minute before he cums as well.

He pulls his hands away, gripping the sheet instead when he cums with a loud moan. “Lando!” He pulls out and Lando winces - he hasn’t noticed how sore he actually is and Charles is over him in a second, a concerned look in his eyes. 

“Are you okay?” He’s not breathing, Lando notices and he nods, unable to form words - Charles just literally fucked his brains out. 

“I’m gonna be right back.” Charles’ voice sounds pressed and he’s gone in a blur, giving Lando exactly five seconds to breathe before he comes back in the room, a wet towel in his hand. 

“Here, let me clean you up”, he mumbles before he settles between his legs, carefully wiping the cum away. Lando watches him with hazy eyes, still trying to find words. 

“Is there anything you aren’t good at?” His voice is hoarse, a weak grin on his face and Charles looks up. “You-“ 

He starts laughing, turning into a giggle before he presses a soft kiss on his cheek. “As Seb said: cooking.” 

He throws the towel away and Lando gives him a cautious look while he pulls the blanket over him. “Are you okay? ...thirst-wise?” 

“I think so, yeah.” Charles hesitates, taking a deep breath before he nods. “Yeah. My self-control is pretty good but Dan and Kimi took me hunting before this.”

He gives him a sheepish grin and Lando stares at him. 

“They _knew_ we were going to- oh my god.” He buries his face in the pillows, groaning and he can hear Charles laugh again. 

Fucking vampire. 

“This is so embarrassing”, Lando mumbles and sits up a little, wincing. Charles comes closer, slipping next to him under the covers and brushes a few sweaty curls from his forehead. “It’s just sex, baby.” 

“Best sex I ever had.” That slips out before Lando can think about it and he bites on his tongue, hating himself - Charles’ ego is already big enough, no need to support that. 

Charles surprises him though when his face turns soft and he fiddles with his bandana - Lando only notices now that he never took it off during sex. It turns him on and Charles gives him a tentative smile. “For me too.” 

They’re both quiet for a moment, Lando listening to the rain pouring down outside and his own heartbeat that’s slowly calming down, his breathing getting a little more even. He feels exhausted, the warmth and post-orgasm bliss making him sleepy and he nearly falls asleep when he hears Charles’ voice again. 

“That”, he takes a deep breath before he pulls Lando into his arms, tucking them both in under the blanket, “cost me way more self-restraint than I ever thought it would.” 

Lando smiles sleepily at that, Charles’ hand threading through his hair, the gentle movement slowly lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update because I'm gonna spend the rest of my day doing stuff for uni and this is one of my favourite chapters :') 
> 
> I really wanted to give the whole chapter more details than in the book/movie, make it rounder and I'm really excited about what you guys will think! I, again, mixed book and movie here lmao
> 
> [Charles playing the piano](https://verstappened.tumblr.com/post/622921750823550976/suckmyballshoney-albonoo-he-can-drive) is forever a mood, I think Charles said it was inspired by the original piece by [Tokio Myers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzgFohAu1W4) and I just really love it so I imagined him playing that - Bella's Lullaby is also nice though 
> 
> And again, we love horny teenagers ksdsd you can't tell me Edward wasn't horny in over 100 years
> 
> Sending you all so much love, just thank you so much for your constant support 💛💛💛💛💛💛


	11. Chapter 11

He has spent Saturday morning with Charles as well, his boyfriend making him pancakes for breakfast (Seb was right: he really can’t cook) before they spent the morning cuddling and playing Call of Duty. 

Lando went home around lunchtime, Jenson already waiting for him (he knew he spent the night at Charles’- Lando doesn’t like lying to him) and Lando couldn’t stop smiling. 

He can’t believe they actually had sex - _good_ sex, absolutely mind-blowing, breathtaking sex - and that his family really seems to like Lando. But Charles has assured him multiple times that they do and Lando is actually looking forward to getting back to school on Monday. 

To see Charles again. 

George is waiting for him in the parking lot (Lando might have told his friends in the group chat that he'd stayed overnight at Charles’), a huge grin on his face and when he sees Lando grin as well, he whistles. 

“Oi, somebody got laid!” 

Lando blushes immediately, quickly looking around but Charles and his brothers aren’t there yet and he shoves George slightly. “Shut the fuck up, mate, or do you want the whole school to hear??” 

George just laughs before he puts an arm around him and leads him into the school. 

“Pretty sure they’re all speculating anyways”, he muses while they enter their classroom and Lando rolls his eyes, placing his water bottle on the table. “Probably.” 

He falls on his seat, ignoring the few stares he’s getting - he’s used to them by now. 

“So was it good?” George is still grinning and Lando flips him off, blushing. “Shut up, mate.”

“I’m just curious! It’s _Charles Leclerc_ , after all.” George gives him a suggestive look and Lando hesitates, looking over his shoulder. No one pays them any attention though and he turns back to George, nodding quickly. 

“Very good”, he mumbles, trying not to think about the blowjob Charles has given him in the shower on Saturday morning - it really is convenient that vampires don’t need to breathe or have a gag reflex. 

George’s grin just widens but he stays quiet when Mr Wolff enters the room, starting his class. They work quietly for a while but when they have to do partner work, the noise level rising a bit, George hesitantly turns to Lando. 

“I had a date with Alex on the weekend!”, he whispers and Lando nearly chokes on his water, coughing. “You did?!” 

He quickly scribbles down some numbers when he sees Mr Wolff’s warning look and George nods, gently patting his back. 

“Yeah. Went to the cinema in Carlisle and for dinner.” He’s blushing slightly but his eyes are sparkling and Lando grins. “So I guess it went well?” 

“Really well. I drove him home and then kissed him before he went inside.” George bites his lip, not able to hold back his happy smile and Lando coos. “Awww, I’m so happy for you, mate!” 

“And I would be happy if you two could do your work.” Lando freezes and slowly looks up, Mr Wolff standing in front of their desk with an exasperated expression on his face. “Can’t you talk about your weekend at lunch?” 

“George has a boyfriend now”, Lando points out innocently and Mr Wolff’s eyes wander to George, his lip twitching. “Does he now? Congratulation then. Still, discuss it at lunch.” 

He keeps walking through the rows and Lando and George look at each other for a moment before they start giggling. 

“Oh my god, why did you tell him that?!”, George manages to say and Lando shrugs. “I panicked!” 

They’re grinning at each other before they finish their work. 

The day goes by pretty quickly, Lando has lunch with his friends and boyfriend, Seb joining them once again and he leaves the building together with Charles, his boyfriend having an arm around his shoulder and them discussing their weekend plans. 

“We can also go to Liverpool - or Nottingham, I haven’t been there in a-“ Charles stops dead in his tracks and Lando frowns, following his gaze. “What- oh.” 

Carlos leans against his Ford, arms crossed in front of his chest, staring at them and Lando swallows dryly. What is he _doing_ here?! Didn’t he say he’s going to a school in Carlisle, what- 

Charles stiffened visibly next to him, the mood changed instantly and Lando takes a deep breath. From the corner of his eyes he can see Charles’ brothers watch them, Max for once not glaring at Lando but rather at Carlos - no one else pays them attention though. 

“What does he want here?”, Lando whispers and Charles pulls him a bit closer. 

“Trouble”, he says curtly and Lando takes a deep breath. He has always liked Carlos and he won’t start any drama now in the middle of a school parking lot - he already has that behind him. 

“Well, I still need to get to my car”, he says matter-of-factly and given that Charles doesn’t let go of him he just pulls him along. He sees that Carlos tenses a little when they come closer but he forces himself to smile, opening his arms. 

“Lando!”

Lando wants to take a step forward to hug him but Charles holds him back and Lando turns slowly around. 

“Charles”, he says quietly, “let me go.” 

Charles seems to fight with himself internally before he reluctantly loosens his grip and Lando gives him a small smile. “Thank you.” 

He turns back to Carlos who watched the whole exchanged with a satisfied smirk and he hugs Lando maybe a little bit longer than necessary, wrapping his muscular arms around him. He’s still so warm and from the corner of his eyes, Lando can see Dan tense. 

They’re all still staring at them and Lando steps back, Charles’ hand immediately back on his waist. Possessive. 

“What are you doing here?” Lando tries his best to keep his voice light, smiling innocently at Carlos. “I thought you’re going to school in Carlisle?” 

“Yeah but I need to talk to you. Preferably alone.” Carlos’ gaze falls on Charles and Lando sighs. “Why?” 

“Because it’s none of his business?” Carlos raises his eyebrows and Lando can feel Charles’ grip tighten a little.

Whatever it is that Carlos is thinking - it can’t be good and Lando crosses his arms in front of his chest, a bad feeling in his stomach. “I’m gonna tell him later anyway, so?” 

“Lando-“

“Now or not at all.” Lando doesn’t know why he’s so persistent but he feels safer with Charles and his brothers by his side and Carlos grits his teeth. 

“Fine. So you and Leclerc are a thing?” There’s nothing but disgust in his voice and Lando stares at him, taken aback by his open hostility. “Yeah, _Charles_ is my boyfriend. Why?” 

Carlos’ eyes darken, the tension between them so thick one could cut it with a knife and Carlos snorts. 

“Did your _boyfriend_ tell you what he is?”, he sneers and Charles tenses behind him. 

Lando stares at Carlos, he doesn’t get it at all. He thought Carlos didn’t believe in the legends and myths- but then he looks into Carlos’ eyes and he realises that Carlos knows. Carlos knows Charles is a vampire and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“Carlos, mate, I’m okay, you don’t have to worry about me, yeah? He-“

“He’s a fucking bloodsucker, Lando!”, Carlos hisses and Lando is glad he parked on the side of the parking lot today, no students passing them. 

“And?”, Lando answers simply and when Carlos stares at him speechless, he just keeps talking. “I think it’s none of your business what Charles is and the term ‘bloodsucker’ is actually quite discriminating.”

He hears Charles snicker behind him but Lando keeps his eyes trained on Carlos, trying to somehow make sense of the situation. 

“You shouldn’t be with him!”, Carlos says, his voice ice-cold and Lando narrows his eyes. “And who are you to tell me what I have to do?”

“I’m your friend!”

“My friend?! If you were really my friend you’d support me, be happy for me!” 

“I’m sorry that I don’t support you getting sucked dry by that fucking leech!” 

They glare at each other and Lando takes a deep breath. “Carlos-“ 

“He’s not good for you, Lando! Stay away from him!” 

“I think Lando made his point quite clear“, Charles says quietly, a warning edge in his voice. “ And I think it’s better if you leave.” 

“Fuck you, Leclerc”, Carlos hisses. “I swear to God if you touch him-“

“Then what?!”, Charles snaps, glaring at him while simultaneously pulling Lando closer, possessively wrapping his arms around his waist. “I’m touching him right now!”

“You know what I mean.” Carlos’ eyes are full with disgust and he shakes his head, spitting on the floor in front of them. “Don’t forget the treaty.” 

He gives him one last look before he disappears into the woods, Charles has become incredibly still and Lando frowns. 

“What’s his problem?” 

Charles swallows, exchanging a quick look with his brothers before he presses a soft kiss on his temple. “Let’s talk somewhere else?” 

“Sure, you wanna come home with me?” 

“Yeah. I-“

“I’m driving your car home, don’t worry.” Seb suddenly appears next to them, a grin on his face but his eyes are serious when he looks at Charles. “All good?” 

“...yeah.” Charles takes a deep breath before he hands Seb the keys for his Ferrari and Lando nods slowly. “Alright.” 

There’s something else going on here but Lando can wait a few more minutes - Charles owes him an explanation. Or rather Carlos but he doubts they’re on speaking terms. 

He drives them home, brooding over what just happened and he chews on his bottom lip, remembering the conversation he had with Alex, George and Sacha in Newcastle. 

Maybe Carlos is jealous? But- he wouldn’t actually believe those legends and myths, right? Maybe it’s the nasty shit he heard about them, maybe Lando can prove to him that Charles is actually a good guy. 

But if he’s really jealous- 

Lando sighs, parking in the driveway and Charles throws him a curious look, following him inside. 

“Are you hungry?”, he asks while slipping out of his shoes and Lando raises his eyebrows. “Why, do you want to cook for me?” 

“No, but I would’ve ordered takeaway.” Charles gives him a sheepish grin and Lando gets himself something to drink before settling on the sofa. “Maybe later.” 

He stares out of the window in the garden before he turns to Charles who sat down next to him. “You don’t like Carlos very much, do you?”

“To be fair, he absolutely despises me.” Charles doesn’t sound too sad about it and Lando raises his eyebrows. “Alright, what’s his problem with you? Or me? Or in general?” 

“Remember when you told me that Carlos and you talked about all these legends and myths?”, Charles asks, pulling Lando on his lap and smiles wryly when he nods. “Did he also tell you anything about his people?”

“He- they have something to do with wolves?” Lando frowns, partly distracted because Charles runs his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. “That they’re werewolves- no way!”

Charles grins, pressing a kiss against his temple. “I normally wouldn’t tell you that but given the fact that the fucker called me a bloodsucker in the parking lot-“

“But I already knew”, Lando points out but Charles shakes his head. “That’s not the point, you don’t just out other species. Carlos is a werewolf - the Alpha of his pack, actually.” 

“He’s a _what_ now?!” Lando stares at him, actually speechless and Charles grins. “A werewolf.” 

“That’s impossible, Carlos can’t- you’re joking!” 

“Why would I lie to you?” 

That is a really good question and Lando swallows dryly, drawing in a sharp breath. Carlos is- he’s a werewolf. Not only are vampires real but werewolves exist too - and Carlos is the Alpha of his pack. 

“He’s always so warm”, he mumbles, not sure why that’s the first thing he remembers and Charles laughs humorlessly. “Yeah. They’re our complete opposite - and our biggest enemy.” 

That would explain a lot. 

Lando shifts a little on Charles’ lap, craning his head so he can look at him and frowns. “Isn’t that a bit cliché?” 

Charles snorts, a grin playing around his lips. “Maybe, but it goes back thousands of years. The FIA tried killing all of them roughly 500 years ago but obviously didn’t succeed.” 

“Is that why they hate you?” 

“Partly but they’ve also tried to wipe out our kind from existence.” Charles shrugs. “It’s just a never-ending thing and we normally stay out of each other’s way.” 

“Until you guys moved here”, Lando concludes and Charles nods. “We’ve lived in Brampton before - Lewis before he went to Monaco and we came back after he turned Dan.”

“And the wolves didn’t like that?”

“No. Were scared we would kill the humans and all that shit.” Charles rolls his eyes and plays with the strings of Lando’s hoodie. “Double standards if you asked me, they’ve killed humans before as well.”

“They did??” Lando stares at him and Charles nods. “Of course. Maybe not on purpose but...it happened. Werewolves have a temper.”

“Means...?”

“Means they turn into a giant dog when they’re angry and don’t need a full moon for that.” Charles rolls his eyes and Lando blinks, his mind wandering back to Carlos. He can’t imagine him turning into a wolf but then again: Charles is a vampire and he couldn’t imagine that a few weeks back either. 

“When Lewis was here for the first time he made a treaty with them and we renewed it after we came back in the 30s.” Charles stares out of the window and Lando hesitates. “What exactly does that mean?”

“We don’t kill or feed off any humans and stay off their land and they stay away from ours.” Charles has a bitter smile on his lips. “Otherwise they’re going to attack us. I nearly violated the treaty when I first met you.” 

“Did you?” Lando raises his eyebrows and Charles nods. “Yeah. When we were in Biology- the whole time I thought about 100 ways how to lure you away from all these teenagers and get what I want.”

“But you didn’t”, Lando points out quietly, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach. “You were a dick but you didn’t.” 

“Yeah but not because of the stupid treaty.” Charles’ eyes harden. “Because of my family. I knew I couldn’t do that to them and the complications that inevitably would follow.” 

They’re quiet for a while and Lando knows this should scare him. Knows how dangerous Charles is and that this isn’t normal. But he loves him, Charles _didn’t_ kill him and it’s going to be alright. 

“It doesn’t help the situation that Carlos is in love with you”, Charles states suddenly, voice casual and Lando turns his head, staring at him. “What?!” 

“He’s in love with you.” Charles grins, apparently finding that really funny. “It’s why he’s so overprotective. And he thinks very loudly.” 

“Does he know you can read his mind?”

“Nope.” Charles sounds cheerful and Lando rams his elbow into his ribs - Charles doesn’t even flinch.

“Cute.” He smirks and Lando glares at him. “You can’t just go around and spill people’s secrets!”

“Oh come on, it was obvious!” Charles rolls his eyes. “Alex, George and Sacha thought that too! They like me more by the way.” He winks at him and Lando is actually speechless. “They _what_?!”

“Sacha might have thought about this during lunch.” Charles at least has the decency to look guilty and Lando growls. “You’re unbelievable.” 

“Hey, I’m not doing it on purpose! ...okay, Carlos was on purpose but he’s the enemy.” Charles crosses his arms in front of his chest, sulking and Lando fights back a grin. He doesn’t even know why he’s mad - reading minds is totally normal for Charles. 

“I really wanted to kill him before”, Charles comments dryly. “Max too.”

“Killing people is not an option!” 

“To be fair, he wanted to kill me too” Charles points out. “He just didn’t because of my brothers and you.” 

“And the treaty.”

“Well...he didn’t really care about that at that moment. Told you, he feels very strongly about you.” Charles gives him a cheeky grin and Lando groans, burying his face in Charles’ shoulder. 

“How can he be in love with me?! We’ve literally met _twice_ since I’m back! Three times, if you count today.” 

“I mean I can’t blame him, you’re adorable.” Charles shrugs but there’s that smirk again and Lando actually considers punching him in the throat when Charles leans forward, kissing him gently. 

“And beautiful”, he murmurs against his lips, “and funny and smart and chaotic and all mine.” He kisses him again, one hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer and Lando wraps his legs around him, melting into the kiss. 

He got goosebumps at the ‘and all mine’ part and even though he’d never admit it in front of Charles or anyone - he loves when he’s possessive. 

Charles’ tongue is in his mouth, his hands on his ass and Lando escapes a small moan. He wants to press himself closer but then Charles suddenly pulls back, gently pushing him next to him on the sofa and Lando stares at him confused, his lips parted. “What-“

“Your Dad just drove into the driveway”, Charles explains with a crooked grin and Lando blushes. He quickly fixes his hair, getting up and he hopes his boner isn’t too visible. 

“I wanna tell him about us.” That sentence slips out before he can think about it and Lando bites his lip. “I love him and I don’t like lying to him and-“

“It’s okay, baby if you want him to know then tell him”, Charles interrupts him reassuringly, a small face on his face. “Do I- should I introduce myself?” 

“Have you never-“

“Met my boyfriend’s Dad before? No, sorry.” Charles sounds sarcastic and Lando grins. “Right. Immortal slut.”

“Did you just-“

“Hey, Lando.” Jenson comes into the front room, a smile on his face and he frowns when he sees Charles. “You must be...” 

“That’s Charles Leclerc, Dad”, Lando says quickly when he realises that Charles is actually frozen in fear. Funny, so much for the self-confident vampire. Charles quickly nods and takes a step forward, offering Jenson his hand. 

“Hello, Sir.” He gives him a shy smile (Charles and _shy_ \- Lando nearly laughs) and Jenson shakes his hand with a grin. “Hello, Charles, nice to meet you.” 

Lando breathes out in relief and he chews on his bottom lip. Did he ever out himself to his Dad? Does he even _have_ to out himself if his own father is gay as well??

How is he supposed to say this-

“Did you guys have a nice-“

“Dad, I’m gay and Charles is my boyfriend”, Lando blurts out, effectively interrupting his Dad and Jenson blinks, clearly taken aback. Charles looks like he has to hold back a laugh and Lando nervously licks his lips. 

“And I hope you’re okay with it and I mean why not you’re gay too and were married to a man and are probably still gay but maybe you don’t want this for your son but I am and it’s definitely not your influence but I really like boys way more than girls and Charles is really great and-“

“Lando”, Jenson interrupts him amused, Charles grinning broadly, “it’s fine, really. I’m happy for you two.” He gives Charles a soft smile and Lando breathes out in relief, feeling like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

He hesitates before he steps forward, wrapping his arms around him. 

“Thanks, Dad”, he mumbles and Jenson looks surprised before he hugs him back. “Of course, dear. I love you, no matter who you are dating.” 

He presses a soft kiss on his temple and Lando breathes in his Dad’s familiar scent. They’ve grown a bit apart in the last few years but he loves him a lot and he pulls back again, stepping next to Charles with a sheepish smile. 

“Charles, are you staying for dinner?”, Jenson asks while he hangs up his jacket, making his way into the kitchen and Charles smiles. “Sure if you don’t mind.” 

“Of course not.” Jenson gives him another smile and Lando quickly pulls his phone from his pocket. “We thought about ordering something? As a celebration?” 

That’s a nice way for saying ‘none of us can cook’ but Jenson accept it with a quick smile, nodding. “Sure. Can you handle it? You know what I like, I’ll pay of course.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Lando gives him a beaming smile before he pulls Charles upstairs and he breathes out in relief when he closes the door to his room behind them. “That went well.” 

“He loves you”, Charles says amused, sitting down on his bed. “And he would do absolutely everything for you. Helps that he has a crush on my Dad.” 

“What about you?” 

“He likes me.” Charles smirks, leaning back on the bed and putting an arm behind his head - Lando tries his best not to stare too much at his muscles. “But how could he not, I’m great. He thinks I’m a very polite kid.” 

“And so humble”, Lando comments dryly but he can’t stop the smile that’s spreading over his face and he falls down next to Charles, testingly poking his side. “You’re not- oh my god you’re ticklish!” 

He stares at Charles who flinched away from his touch and Charles shakes his head quickly. “Bullshit, I’m not- Lando, no!” 

In a millisecond he’s pressed against the wall on the other side of the room, a panicked look in his eyes and Lando can’t stop laughing. 

“Oh my god, you’re actually ticklish! The mighty, badass vampire is ticklish!” 

“Shut up,” Charles mumbles, clearly embarrassed and Lando smirks. “Make me.” 

He yelps when Charles is back over him in mere milliseconds again, pressing him into the pillows and his breathing quickens when he feels Charles’ golden eyes on him. 

“I would love to”, Charles murmurs, placing small kisses on his neck and Lando whimpers, “but your Dad expects us to order dinner and he’s downstairs. And I love hearing you scream so-“

He pulls back and Lando stares at him with wide eyes, his brain needing a moment to catch up. 

“You’re a fucking tease”, he mumbles, sitting up a bit straighter. “The absolute worst.” 

“And yet you love me.” Charles winks at him and Lando rolls his eyes, pulling his phone from his pocket. “You’re up for Asian?” 

“I don’t know, mate, I haven’t had Asian food in...thirty years.” Charles shrugs and Lando stares at him for a moment before he rolls his eyes, looking back at his phone and scrolling through the website. 

“Vampires”, he mumbles and he picks his Dad’s and his’ favourite dishes before he gets Charles some spring rolls and noodles. “Don’t you dare and complain later.” 

“I would never.” Charles grins and he looks like he wants to say something but then his face turns into an unreadable expression and Lando frowns. “What’s going on?” 

He gets a sinking feeling in his stomach when Charles stays quiet, apparently listening to something and then Lando hears the front door and the sound of a car driving off quickly. 

“There was another murder”, Charles says quietly, slowly coming closer. “Just a few miles outside of Brampton this time. And it was your Dads friend who-“

He stops talking and Lando stares at him, he feels cold and he bites his lips. 

“Who?”, he asks hoarsely and Charles carefully sits down next to him, pulling him into his arms. “Rubens Barrichello.”

That feels like a punch in the gut and Lando draws in a sharp breath, Charles’ arm around him tightening a little. 

Rubens owns the bike shop in town and Lando has known him since he was a little kid. He was always kind to him and Charles rubs his back in soothing circles. 

“I’m so sorry”, he says quietly. “They suspected that he was out mountain biking when- when it happened.” 

“Was it that animal?” 

“It wasn’t an animal, Lando.” Charles swallows dryly and Lando slowly turns, looking at him. 

“Who was it?”, he asks quietly and for a horrible second he fears-

“Other vampires”, Charles darkly interrupts his thoughts. “We don't know who they are but Seb has seen them for quite a while now.“ 

“What do they want?” Lando’s voice is barely a whisper and Charles pulls him closer. “We don’t know, Lewis keeps an eye on them.” 

“And Carlos is okay with them being here??” 

“I doubt it but he can’t do anything - it wasn’t us who killed them and those...visitors are very careful.” Charles sighs and Lando chews on his bottom lip, trying to somehow digest what he just heard. 

There are other vampires in Cumbria who kill people. One of his Dad’s best friends just got murdered by vampires. Carlos is a fucking werewolf. 

Speaking of Carlos’ and the werewolves...

“Just out of curiosity...would you technically be allowed to turn a human?”, he asks quietly and Charles tenses, his face darkening. 

“No, because the second I bite you and the venom spreads your heart stops beating - and I would've killed you.” Charles’ voice is indifferent and Lando nervously licks his lips, not allowing his mind going there. “Okay.”

“We can control it - like if we inject the venom or not.” Charles’ voice is incredibly quiet and he clears his throat. “If we do, you turn into a vampire, if we just- suck you dry, you die.” 

Silence settles between them after that and Lando stares out of the window, watching the rain pour down. His mind is filled with questions and theories and information and he leans back against Charles, closing his eyes. 

“So what do we do now?”, he asks quietly, keeping his eyes closed and Charles caresses his cheek. “I’ll stay close to your side and you shouldn’t go out alone.” 

“I don’t mind having you around”, he mumbles and Charles chuckles lowly. “I know. Which is good.” 

“What about Carlos?” Lando opens his eyes, turning a bit so he can look at Charles. “He seemed pretty angry.” 

“Ignore him.” Charles rolls his eyes. “He can’t do shit as long as- as you’re alive.” 

“Okay”, Lando whispers, ignoring the thought that he kinda wishes- thought about- no, he’s not going there and he’s once again glad Charles can’t read his mind. 

“Your Dad is back, I should go - he needs you.” Charles gets up, pulling Lando into a tight hug. “And I need to talk with my family. You stay safe, yeah?” 

“I will.” Lando kisses him before he watches Charles jump out of the window and he slowly makes his way downstairs. 

His Dad looks like he has been crying on the way back home, he’s pale and Lando wordlessly hugs him. 

“Dad-“ He doesn’t know what to say, he officially doesn’t even know what happened and Jenson takes a shaky breath. 

“It was Rubens”, he whispers, “the animal- it got him.” He shakes his head, hugging Lando tighter and Lando gently moves them to the sofa.

They don’t say much and only when Lando gets their takeaway Jenson seems to realise that he’s alone. 

“Where’s Charles?”, he asks while he picks in his food and Lando forces himself to smile. “Had to go home, his Dad called.”

“Probably wanted to make sure his son is alright after what happened to Rubens - Dr Hamilton was at the crime scene.” Jenson stares at his food and Lando swallows his chicken. “Why?” 

“To examine the...to see what happened to him.” Jenson seems to fight back the tears and Lando pushes his food away - he isn’t hungry anymore. He scoots closer to his Dad, hugging him from the side and Jenson closes his eyes. 

“He was one of my longest friends, went to school together”, he whispers. “He went out mountain biking all alone when- when that beast attacked him.” Tears are running down his cheeks and Lando swallows down the lump in his throat. 

“I’m so sorry, Dad”, he mumbles and Jenson hugs him tightly. “Promise me to look after yourself, Lando, okay? Please, I can’t lose you too.” 

“Of course, Dad.” Lando fights back the tears and buries his face in his Dad’s shoulder. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took a while today but exam season is a bitch and then there was qualifying and yeah ksjdksd
> 
> we are getting closer to the drama/angst (kind of) and Carlos appeared again! I told you all to not have any expectations for him skjdskd 
> 
> but I really wanted to give Jenson and Lando a proper father-son relationship :') 
> 
> hope you're all doing well and I'm sending you all so much love 💛💛💛💛💛
> 
> 💛


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Trigger Warning:** Mentions/Implied Past Child Abuse

The next three months are rather...uneventful. Lando has actually thought shit would hit the fan after Rubens got killed but the other vampires kept a low profile and nothing came from it. 

They’re still in the area though with murders in Carlisle and Newcastle but Lando tries to ignore it - nothing has happened so far and he also hasn’t seen Carlos since. 

Not that Lando cares much about that. It’s a bit sad because he genuinely thought Carlos and he were mates but he has Charles and they’re happy - very happy. 

Lando spent Christmas Day with Jenson before visiting Charles’ family on Boxing Day, laughing when he saw the huge Christmas tree in the corner of the front room (Dan ripped it out from somewhere a bit more North and carried it all the way back). 

Max and Charles had to decorate it and, if you believed Kimi, it had been complete chaos. 

Nico cooked Christmas dinner and it had been nice, peaceful. 

New Year’s Eve had been equally nice, Charles took him to London to see the fireworks and Lando loved it a lot. 

George, Alex and Sacha warmed up to Charles as well, especially since Charles really makes an effort to get to know them and Seb occasionally joins them for lunch. They play Call of Duty nearly every evening, talking on Discord and Lando is genuinely happy. 

The only disadvantage might be that spring is coming which means that Charles is less at school because of the sun but Lando doesn’t mind - he sees him in the afternoon anyway. 

“I’m so jealous”, George mumbles when they sit in front of the cafeteria, enjoying the warm March sun. “I wish my parents would take me camping every time we have some sun.” 

Lando hides his smile behind his sandwich, knowing fully well that Charles probably spends the day online shopping or playing Call of Duty - he’s definitely not in some tent somewhere in the Scottish Highlands. And he also doesn’t have a sun allergy. 

Lando knows that because Charles keeps sending him memes and outfit pictures the whole morning already and Alex laughs, leaning against George. “The difference, my dear, are your grades.” 

“Excuse you?” George gives Alex an offended look and Sacha grins. “It’s true though, have you seen his grades? They’re straight A’s.” 

“And that’s the only straight thing about him”, George mumbles and Lando chokes on his water laughing. He can’t put into words how much it means to him that they accept Charles and that they all somehow get along. 

Lando actually spends quite a lot of time at Charles’ place too and he likes to think he became friends with Charles’ brothers - well, apart from Max. 

Max is a complicated topic but he hasn’t tried to kill him yet so Lando counts that as a success. 

And there has been that one time he played FIFA against him and Lando might have lost miserably (Max is way too good at this game) but it’s progress. 

Kimi and he don’t talk that much but he always has a smile for him, sending him good vibes (even though he didn’t get it when Lando called ‘Vibe Check!’ and Charles nearly choked on his dinner laughing) and that’s all Lando wants. 

Dan warmed up pretty quickly to Lando, taking him hiking (or more like ‘running up mountains and trees with him so Lando can take aesthetic pictures for his Instagram’) and basically treats him as if he was his little brother - Lando can’t help but feel oddly protected around him. 

Seb is just incredibly nice, talking with him about absolutely everything, sometimes joining them when they play PlayStation (he’s really bad at it but doesn’t seem to mind), watching movies with him and helping him with some of his Maths homework. 

Lewis and Nico fully accepted that Lando spends at least three days a week at their place, Nico happily cooking something for him and Lando wishes he could somehow pay them back - they’re incredibly nice and welcoming and Lando feels at home in their house. 

He’s genuinely happy and when he talks with his Papá on the phone later that day - Fernando actually stayed awake to talk with him despite the time difference - he can’t stop smiling. 

“There are quite a few good universities here in Sydney”, Fernando says at that moment. “And if you want to come back earlier, that’s also totally okay-“

“It’s fine, Papá, really. I’m happy here”, Lando interrupts him. “And yeah, I know how that sounds.” 

He grins while he leans against the window and his father stares at him with wide eyes. “Lando, could it be that a boy is behind your sudden change of heart?” 

He grins and Lando blushes, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe. His name is Charles and he’s in my Biology class.”

“Oh, _cariño_ , I’m so happy for you! I can’t wait to meet him, you guys have to visit us down here! How old is he?”

“Eighteen”, Lando answers, ignoring the first part. “He’s really nice, a little bit of a drama queen sometimes-“ 

He flinches when he feels cold air brush past him and when he turns around, Charles sits on the bed, looking at him with raised eyebrows and a shit-eating grin on his face. 

“And very spontaneous”, Lando adds dryly and he can see his Papá laugh. “He sounds like a good one. Does he know what he wants to do after school?”

“Probably go to university somewhere here.” Lando forces himself to not look at Charles, glad that the camera angle only catches him and he tries to ignore the heavy feeling in his stomach. 

They haven’t really talked about their future yet and Fernando nods understandingly. “Of course. Does your Dad know him?” 

“Obviously.” 

“Does he approve of him?” 

“Yeah.” Lando relaxes a little and Fernando nods again. “Alright then. Would you be very mad if I go to bed? It’s late but we can talk in the next few days!”

“No, no, it’s fine. Sleep well, Papá.” 

“You too later, _mi vida_. Send me a picture of you and your boyfriend.” Fernando winks at him before he ends the conversation and Lando slowly turns to Charles. 

“He sounds nice”, Charles comments and Lando nods, glad that they had the conversation in Spanish and not English. “Yeah. He wants to meet you.” 

He sits down next to Charles on the bed and Charles pulls him into his arms, kissing him gently. “I know. And I am very spontaneous.” He smirks and Lando stares at him speechless. 

“You speak Spanish?” 

That _bastard_ \- 

“A bit but I’m fluent in Italian. It’s similar.” Charles shrugs nonchalantly and Lando has the sudden urge to hit him. He doesn’t though, knowing it’s pointless and he’ll hurt himself more than Charles. 

“Show off”, he mumbles and Charles laughs, kissing him again. 

Lando can’t stop thinking about what his Papá said though, about universities and their future and Charles pulls back, giving him a worried look. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know”, Lando admits quietly, pulling the sleeves of his sweater over his hands and cuddles up closer to Charles. “I just- something my Papá said got me thinking.” 

“That we can visit him? Baby, we can invite him here or to London, I’d love to meet him-“

“It’s not that”, Lando interrupts him, nervously licking his lips. “The university thing.” 

“Well I don’t know yet where I wanna go this time so don’t worry-“

“It got me thinking about our future.” Lando’s voice is barely a whisper, his heart beating faster in his chest and he focuses on some spot in front of him on the blanket. They’ve avoided the topic so far but at the same time, it has been on his mind every single day. 

Charles tenses behind him and Lando turns, hand tracing over Charles’ perfect cheekbones. His eyes are a bit darker today, Lando knows he’s going hunting tonight with Nico and Seb and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“I’m ageing”, he says matter-of-factly and Charles nods. “You are.” 

His voice doesn’t give anything away and Lando hesitates, not sure how to bring up the topic.

“You are not”, he adds and Charles nods again. “Yep.” 

He pops the ‘p’ and Lando shifts a little, Charles still being very emotionless. 

“At one point I would be eighty and you’re still eighteen”, he says and Charles sets his jaw. “Yeah.” 

“What if-“ 

“If you want to break up with me you could just say it, you know?” 

They stare at each other, Lando blinking confused. “ _What_?!” 

Why would he- what-

But when he looks in Charles’ eyes he sees the tears and the pain and he gets it, his heart breaking into a thousand pieces by the sheer thought of ever leaving him. “No, oh my god! Charles, I don’t want to break up with you, this is not what I wanted to propose!” 

Charles visibly relaxes, a relieved look in his eyes and he frowns. “Then what- no. No, absolutely not!” 

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“You want me to turn you. Make you a vampire.” 

“...okay, yes but why not??”

“Because- Lando, you’d be _dead_! You-“ Charles searches for words, giving him a helpless look. “I can’t do this to you!” 

“Charles”, Lando says quietly, taking his hand in his sweater paw, absentmindedly rubbing it so it warms up a little. 

“I thought about this for nearly four months. I love you, so fucking much and I can’t imagine my life without you.” 

“I love you too”, Charles says with a hoarse voice, the tears are still there. “And losing you- you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. But- you still have so much ahead of you, graduation, university-“

“I didn’t mean that you turn me right now, you know?”, Lando interrupts him with raised eyebrows. “But like, in two or three years. Maybe four. I finish school, maybe even uni, we have time to plan everything. And the age gap between eighteen and twenty-two is not that big.”

Charles stays quiet after this, clearly thinking about his proposal and Lando chews on his bottom lip. “I don’t even have to fake my own death or shit like that. I can tell my Dad we moved to, I don’t know, the US or Canada. Or New Zealand.”

“You thought this through”, Charles mumbles and Lando nods. “Yeah. Told you I’ve been thinking about this.” He blushes and Charles smiles weakly, his finger trailing over his cheek. 

“I’m gonna miss that”, he mumbles. “Next to listening to your heartbeat.” 

“So that’s a Yes from you?” Lando nearly doesn’t dare to ask and Charles chews on his bottom lip. “We still have the treaty with the dogs though.” 

“I can talk with Carlos”, Lando suggests. “It will be fine.” 

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.” Charles gives him a crooked grin and Lando hesitates. “Let me talk with your family about this. If they- if they were okay with this.“ 

“Okay. Who do you- who do you want to turn you?”

“I-“ Lando hesitates, avoiding Charles’ eyes. “You or Lewis”, he whispers. “Preferably you.” 

It’s quiet after that until Charles pulls him into a soft kiss, cupping his face in his hands. 

“You do know what you’re getting yourself into?”, he asks quietly, his eyes serious and Lando nods. “I do.” 

They stare at each other for another moment before Charles takes a deep breath, resting his forehead against Lando’s. 

“Seb- he had a vision about you”, he mumbles. “All the way back in December, after I told them that we’re together.”

“What vision?” Lando nearly doesn’t dare to breathe, he’s scared suddenly and Charles gives him a soft smile. “You as a vampire.” He kisses him gently and Lando relaxes, melting under his touch. 

He can’t quite believe Charles actually said Yes - he has actually thought they’d argue a lot more about this and he lets Charles dominate the kiss, falling back in the pillows. He still needs to talk with Lewis and the others but- he’s pretty sure it’s going to be alright. 

Somehow. 

They have sex after that, Charles fucking him in the mattress, Lando trying his best to stay quiet and not scream (his Dad is home for fuck’s sake) and when they’re cuddling afterwards, Lando’s head on Charles’ chest, he feels oddly calm. 

They talked, they’re gonna have a future. It’s gonna be alright. 

“How does it work?”, he asks quietly, hand tracing over the muscles on Charles’ stomach. “Is it painful?” 

He can feel Charles tense below him. 

“The most painful thing in the world.” His voice is hoarse and he pulls the blanket over Lando’s naked legs. “You feel like you’re burning out from the inside and all you want is to die.”

He’s quiet and Lando gives him time, still tracing patterns on his stomach. 

“It takes around three to five days before you wake up again and the pain is excruciating - I mean, you’re dying, your heart and body fight against the venom. Not that it has a chance.” 

Charles takes a deep breath. 

“And knowing you’ll go through this - knowing you will suffer like this-“

“I choose to do it though”, Lando reminds him quietly. “I want this.”

“You’re insane”, Charles mumbles, shifting a little so they’re both laying on their sides. “And I don’t deserve you.” 

“You do.” Lando gives him a soft smile, pressing his hand against Charles’ cheek. “As much as I deserve you. And remember, we still have a few years.” 

“I know and that’s what calms me a little.” Charles gives him a crooked grin before he sits up, fishing for his underwear. “Do you want to talk with my family?” 

“Now?” 

“Yeah. You could stay overnight, play some Call of Duty while I’m out hunting.” There’s a sudden spark in Charles’ eyes and Lando nods, looking for his clothes. “Okay.” 

He quickly packs his bag before he goes downstairs to tell Jenson.

“Dad, I’m staying at Charles’ tonight”, he says, lingering in the door to the front room. Jenson is watching some football match on TV and he nods, smiling at Charles who appeared behind Lando. 

“Have you done your homework?” 

“Yes.”

“Alright. Text me around what time you’re back tomorrow so I can plan lunch. Or rather order it.” Jenson blushes a bit and Lando laughs, pressing a quick kiss on his Dad’s cheek. 

They’ve gotten a bit more affectionate with each other since Lando’s Outing and Ruben’s death and he says goodbye before he falls next to Charles in his Ferrari. It started raining again, the good weather from the last few days gone and Lando leans his head against the car door.

It’s comfortably warm in here, Charles driving them safely through the forest and Lando takes a deep breath. He’s wearing sweatpants and one of Charles’ hoodies and he tries to mentally prepare himself for the conversation ahead. 

He tries guessing who might vote in favour of him and he tries not to think too much about Max. He’s pretty sure he knows his answer already.

“You worry”, Charles states when he parks his car in front of the house and Lando shrugs, sliding his backpack over his shoulder. “Maybe.” 

Charles just slings an arm around his waist before they go inside, Lando quickly dropping his stuff in Charles’ room and fixing his hair in front of the big mirror. When he follows his boyfriend to the front room, the others are already there and Lando swallows dryly. 

He is more nervous than he likes to admit and seeing them all here assembled- it doesn’t really help his nerves at all. 

Lewis and Nico are standing in front of them, Max and Dan are on the sofa and Kimi has an arm around Seb, his expression unreadable as always. 

“What did you want to talk about with us?”, Lewis asks his voice calm and Lando exchanges a quick look with Charles, clearing his throat. 

“We talked about our future.” His voice is a bit hoarse but apart from that he sounds normal and the mood in the room changes instantly. Dan leans forward a bit, Kimi’s gaze fixating them and Seb has a big smile on his face - he seems to know what this is about. 

Lewis doesn’t let anything show, just nodding as a sign that he should go on. 

“And we came to the conclusion”, Lando takes a deep breath, reaching for Charles’ hand, “that I want to become a vampire.” 

It’s dead silent after that for a second before Max jumps up, anger clearly visible in his eyes. 

“You wanna turn him after knowing him for half a year?!” He glares at Charles and Charles tenses, crossing his arms in front of his chest. 

“You wanted to turn Dan after seeing him for half a _minute_!” 

“Because I’m a good judge of character!” 

“A good judge of- are you fucking kidding me?! You hate me 90% of the time!” 

“Exactly.” 

“You hate everyone!” 

“I don’t hate _everyone_.” 

“You hate Lando!” 

“I don’t hate Lando, he’s actually quite alright. I just hate that he’s a _human_.” Max rolls his eyes and Lando stares at him, actually taken aback. Max thinks he’s ‘quite alright’?! What the- 

‘“Max, we don’t discriminate anyone just because they’re human”, Nico chides him gently and Max rolls his eyes but shuts up, anger still clearly visible in his beautiful features. Dan puts an arm around him in an attempt to calm him but he’s looking at Lando and Charles and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“I wanted to know your opinion on this”, he says quietly. “ If Charles turns me, you'll be stuck with me forever. It's a huge decision. And I want - I need your honesty here. I don’t wanna force myself onto you.” 

He gives them a long look, it’s dead silent in the room until Nico nods. “That makes sense, dear. And I appreciate that you want us to vote but really, I already consider you a part of the family.” 

Lando stares at him, touched and he gives him a small smile before he turns to the others. “Seb?”

“The same thing Nico said, you’re already family.” Seb pulls him into a tight hug and Lando relaxes, taking a deep breath. “Kimi?” 

“Of course, kid. I know how much you mean to Charles and I like you.” Kimi gives him a rare smile and Seb leans against him, a content look on his face. Lando runs a hand through his hair. “Dan?” 

“Hell yeah.” Dan has a huge grin on his face, pulling Lando in a bear hug. “As if you’re not already my little brother.” 

Lando gives him a smile before he reluctantly turns to Max. He has a feeling he knows what’s to come but he has to ask. 

“Max?”

Max hesitates, his eyes going from Dan to Lando and he swallows dryly. 

“I’m sorry but...no.” He gets up, quickly disappearing upstairs and Lando stares after him, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. He _knew_ Max wouldn’t vote Yes and he tries not to be too disappointed, taking a deep breath. “Lewis?”

“If that’s what you want, of course - you’re part of the family and you make Charles happy.” Lewis gives him a warm smile. “And that’s all I ever wanted for him.” 

Lando feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders and he breathes out. “Thank you.”

“What’s the plan?”, Dan asks, he’s still having an arm around Lando and it calms him. “Do you wanna do it right now, or...”

“In around three or four years”, Charles throws in, stepping next to Lando with a small smile. “So he can finish school and maybe university and we have time to prepare everything.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Lewis nods, running a hand through his braids. “Do you want me to do it or do you?” 

He looks at Charles and Charles swallows. “I- I would like to”, he says quietly. “If you think I’m ready.” 

“Absolutely!” Nico gives him a firm look, leaning against the wall. “You’ve been doing so well and we’ll be right there to intervene should anything go wrong - what I don't think.” Charles nods and Lando bites his lip. “So...that’s it?”

“Might want to pick a date for the day you die.” Dan winks at him and while Charles shoves him, Lando actually has to grin. Three years seems so far away and Nico pushes himself off the wall. 

“Are you ready to go hunting?”, he asks and Charles and Seb nod. 

“I’m gonna check on Max.” Dan gives them a short smile before he leaves and Kimi kisses Seb softly before he disappears as well.

“I’m in my office should you need me.” Lewis smiles at them before he heads upstairs and Nico and Seb leave, Charles staying back a moment longer and pulling Lando into a long kiss. 

“You have no idea how glad I am they agreed”, he mumbles and Lando nods, letting his head rest against his shoulder. “Take care, yeah?” 

“Don’t worry, we’re just going to Richmond Park, hunting a few deers. Nothing too dangerous.” Charles smirks and Lando swallows dryly, nodding. “See you later then.”

He kisses him one last time before he watches his boyfriend jump elegantly out of the window, joining Seb and Nico and Lando slowly wanders through the house back in Charles’ room. 

He can’t stop thinking about Max though and he bites on his bottom lip, debating what he should do. He could play Call of Duty or Fortnite with George, Alex and Sacha and ignore the whole thing, pretending he doesn’t care. 

Or he could actually talk to Max about whatever his problem is even though that thought terrifies Lando more than it should. It’s not like Max is going to kill him - after all he thinks he’s ‘quite alright’. 

He paces through Charles’ room before he falls on the bed and starts some documentary on Netflix but he can’t focus on it, his mind always drifting back to Max’ ‘I’m sorry.’ 

Lando groans in annoyance before he switches off the TV and gets up, leaving Charles’ room before he can change his mind. He needs to talk with Max about this, needs to clear the air between them. 

He hesitates when he’s in front of Max’ and Dan’s room but it’s quiet, he doesn’t hear anything and he scraps all his courage together before he knocks. It’s quiet for another second before he hears Dan call “Come in, Lando” and he slowly opens the door. 

Dan is sitting cross-legged on a huge King-Size bed, he’s on his phone, some rap song playing in the background and Lando takes a moment to look around. It’s a big room, equally as big as Charles’ with tall windows on the sides and a few bookshelves on the walls. There’s a PlayStation and a - Lando assumes - Gaming PC in one corner and an Australian flag over the bed. 

One wall is covered with stuff about space, a small planet model hanging from the wall, next to a poster about flags of the world and Lando doesn’t know if that’s more Max’ or Dan’s thing. 

The sofa in the corner is buried under a lot of clothes, there are vinyl records and CD’s on the shelves and Lando’s gaze falls onto the many pictures on the wall. He smiles involuntarily when he sees a picture of Max and Dan kissing, it hangs next to a family picture - it looks like they’re in London. There’s another picture that looks like it was taken in Australia, Dan’s and Max’ skin sparkling with the red desert behind them and Max looking incredibly happy. Lando stares at it for a second and when he turns his head he sees that Dan is watching him curiously.

Lando blushes, from the corner of his eyes he sees that these two also have a walk-in closet - he catches a glimpse of Max’ caps and Dan’s hundreds of different socks. 

The colours of the room are a little bit different than Charles’ but it’s still incredibly cosy and Lando clears his throat. “Where’s Max?” 

“On the balcony.” Dan nods to the glass door on his left and Lando bites on his bottom lip. He’s still not sure and- 

“Just go out to him”, Dan says amused before he throws him one of his hoodies. “But put that on it’s cold outside. For you, at least.” 

“Thanks”, Lando mumbles, fiddling with the white hoodie in his hands before he slowly steps outside in the cold night air. 

He spots Max immediately, he’s standing with his back turned to him, staring into the dark forest and Lando carefully closes the door behind him. It’s quiet but Lando knows Max has heard him come out. 

Lando takes another moment to breathe in the cold night air, swallowing down his anxiety and he hopes Max won’t throw him off the balcony. 

“Max”, he starts quietly, stepping next to him, “why do you hate me so much?” 

It’s quiet for another second and Lando fidgets with his fingers when Max turns towards him with a bitter smile. “I don’t hate you, Lando. I envy you.” 

His words hang heavy in the air and Lando stares at him incredulously. Charles has mentioned that Max is jealous of him but- there’s no way in hell Max envies him. 

“Why would you be jealous of me?!” Lando looks at him confused and Max shakes his head in disbelief. “You don’t get it, do you? You don’t even know how lucky you are, having two Dads who love you so fucking much while others-“ 

He stops and Lando stares at him, needing a moment. 

“And you’re ready to throw all of this away for Charles! You’re ready to give up your two Dads, to break their heart for- for this.” Max’ voice breaks a little in the end and he annoyedly shakes his head. 

“You have no idea how lucky you are”, he repeats and Lando swallows dryly. That’s definitely not what he expected and Max stares back into the forest. 

“I don’t give a shit about the FIA, fuck them - we can deal with them. And yeah, I obviously want to protect my family because they’re all I ever had but the FIA isn’t my problem.” Max shakes his head annoyedly again, his gaze hitting Lando for a second. 

It’s quiet for a moment and Lando wants to ask what exactly this all has to do with his Dads when Max starts talking again. 

“You have all I ever wanted from my own father: to be loved. Supported. Appreciated. But my father- he was such an asshole. A cruel, vicious man.” Max lifts his cap to run his hand through his hair and Lando stays quiet, letting him speak. 

“I didn’t have a happy childhood and I didn’t have a happy life after that, being forced to live with him. He abused me, hit me every time I said something wrong. Insulted me, calling me every name you can imagine.” Max’s finger trails over his arm and while his skin is perfect Lando is pretty sure it’s the place of an old scar. 

“Didn’t matter what I did, he was never satisfied; I was never good enough. My mum left with my younger sister and wanted to take me with her but he didn’t let me go. One evening, when I was walking back home from some friends, I ran into him in front of our house - he was drunk.”

Max’ voice is indifferent, his face not giving anything away and Lando’s grip around Dan’s hoodie tightens. 

“We yelled at each other and then he started punching me - except this time he also had a knife.” 

Lando draws in a sharp breath, tempted to reach out to Max and comfort him but he doesn’t dare to. Max has an aura of coldness around him and Lando knows that it’s probably his way of protecting himself. 

“He left me in front of the house, bleeding out and dying.” Max is still staring into the forest, his voice not giving anything away. “Lewis found me, attracted by the smell of blood and- it’s Lewis. He felt sorry for me and turned me.” 

Max hesitates, slinging his arms around himself and even though he’s taller than Lando, he looks so young for a moment that Lando’s heart breaks. 

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Lewis for doing this - he gave me the family I never had, he is the father I never had. And yet, when I was laying on the cold floor in front of our house in Amsterdam- all I wanted was to die.” 

It’s dead silent and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“What happened to your father?”, he asks quietly and Max turns towards him, smiling coldly. 

“Oh, I got my revenge. Hunted him down and, given, I was a bit theatrical back then,” Max smirks, “wearing all black, but he deserved it. Killed all of the guards he surrounded himself with, savouring him for last so he knew what was coming. I ripped his heart right out of his chest and burned it.” 

Lando gets goosebumps, chills running down his spine and Max chews on his bottom lip, staring into the forest again. 

“I didn’t drink his blood even though I was tempted - but I didn’t want it in me. We had to leave Amsterdam after that and moved to Sweden. Things got a bit easier when I met Dan.” 

The smile on Max’s face is genuine this time, soft even and Lando clears his throat. “Charles said he was wrestling with a bear?” 

“Yeah.” Max snorts, shaking his head. “Stupid Australian idiot. Wanted to see the world, travelled to Europe and ended up in some National Park in Sweden. He got attacked by a bear and I was hunting when I met him, being mauled to death.” 

Max rolls his eyes but the smile stays.

“I looked at him and when I saw his eyes,- his curls- the fucking dimples even though he was in so much pain- I knew I couldn’t let him die so I carried him over a 100 miles to Lewis so he could change him.” 

“Why didn’t you do it yourself?” Lando isn’t really sure if he’s allowed to ask questions but he’s curious and Max hesitates. “I wasn’t sure if I could do it, if I could control myself - it took all my self-control not to kill him.” 

“Holy shit”, Lando mumbles and Max snorts. “Dan actually thought he died and went to heaven, calling me his angel.” 

“You are.” Lando flinches when Dan suddenly appears next to them, pulling Max into his arms and kissing him gently. “You are my angel, you saved my life.” 

Max turns towards him and the smile he gives him is the softest Lando has ever seen on his face. 

“Yeah, because you’re a huge idiot”, he comments dryly and Dan laughs. “I didn’t know Sweden has bears!” 

“Idiot”, Max repeats before he turns back to Lando, giving him a long look. “I don’t hate you, Lando - but I hope you know what you’re giving up for Charles. What you’re throwing away for him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are we ready for some drama? I definitely am ksdjksdd
> 
> also, I'd die for Maxiel ngl 
> 
> And a big thank you to everyone who continues commenting - you have no idea how motivating that is, especially during exam season atm 💛💛💛💛 you all are amazing and it means the world to me 
> 
> wishing you all a beautiful start in the week! 💛💛💛


	13. Chapter 13

**CHARLES**

“Seb said there’s going to be a thunderstorm later”, Nico says casually while strolling through their local Food Hall, eyes wandering over the different shelves and products. “You know what that means.” 

“Hell yes!” Dan grins broadly, he’s pushing the shopping cart and Charles frowns while adding some white bread rolls into the cart. “You wanna play football tonight?” 

“Yeah, and you should definitely bring Lando.” Dan is still grinning, running a hand through his dark curls - he’s wearing one of his big hoodies and Charles hesitates. “What about Romain and the others?”

He’s not keen on putting Lando in more danger than he already is and while he likes Romain, Pierre, Jev, André and the others and they might even understand- it’s not a risk he wants to take. 

“Don’t have time for a match tonight.” Nico gives him a reassuring smile before he stops in front of the vegetables, frowning. “Does Lando like vegetables?” 

“No, but he has to eat them because they’re healthy so we buy them.” Charles picks a few tomatoes, a zucchini, broccoli and garlic (it makes him smile), adding it on top of the bread - they can try and make some pasta with vegetables and tomato sauce from that. 

Well, Nico can try. No one else of them is skilled or patient enough to actually try and cook. 

“Fish?” Nico’s hand trails over a huge selection of canned tuna but Charles shakes his head. “No.” 

“Why are humans so picky”, Dan mumbles while adding some chocolate and biscuits and Charles grins. “I was a picky eater too.” 

“I’m not surprised.” Dan laughs, leaning against the cart. “I don’t even remember. Well, apart from the BBQ.” He sighs dramatically and Charles rolls his eyes amused. 

“The most important thing is that he feels at home and likes the food”, Nico says and he waves at Mrs Russell who passes them. She smiles a little insecurely, nodding at Nico before she moves on and Dan grins. “I feel so normal.Going grocery shopping, meeting people at the supermarket...” 

“That’s the whole point of this and we need food for Lando at home.” Nico packs a six-pack of sparkling water and Charles chews on his bottom lip. “You sure I should take him?” 

“Why not? He can watch, we get him some snacks and after that, I’ll cook dinner.” Nico gives him a small smile and Charles nods slowly. 

He would love to have Lando there, he always loves their football matches a lot and he smiles when they head for the self-checkout. “I’m gonna ask him later when I pick him up.” 

“Good. My god, this never gets boring.” Nico swipes his credit card, a fascinated look in his eyes and Charles grins before he helps them bring the groceries back to the car. 

No one pays them much attention in the parking lot, other customers just passing them and Charles has to agree with Dan: he feels incredibly normal. It’s nice, in some way. 

They started going grocery shopping together since Lando came home with him for the first time, Nico experimenting with new recipes every time (he found some blog online) and Charles loves how open and accepting his family is. 

It’s actually really adorable how excited they all are about grocery shopping, Charles mostly accompanying Nico with Dan or Seb, making sure Lando has everything he needs at his place. 

“I thought about making steak pies tonight”, Nico says while placing the vegetables on top of their bag in the boot, making sure they’re not getting squished by the water bottles and the pasta. “You think he’d like that?” 

“As long as it’s not fish, sure.” Charles smiles before he climbs on the backseat of the huge Mercedes G-Class. “He told me a few days ago he’d get terminally ill if he eats that.”

“He’s just as dramatic as you”, Dan mumbles and a Charles flips him off with a grin. 

Nico is driving while Dan is on his phone on the passenger seat and Charles leans his head against the car door, smiling when he sees that Lando sent him some meme he saw on Instagram. 

Guess they’re gonna play football then tonight. 

**LANDO**

“Football?!” Lando stares at him in disbelief, not sure if he heard Charles correctly. 

“Yeah, it’s the most popular sport in the UK.” Charles shrugs, a smirk on his face and Lando raises his eyebrows. “Isn’t that cricket? Or, I don’t know, rugby?” 

“No, I’m pretty sure it’s football.” Charles grins and Lando throws a sweater in his backpack before he turns back to Charles, still not really convinced. “And you want me to come?” 

“Yeah.” Charles’ eyes light up with excitement and a millisecond later he’s in front of him - Lando doesn’t even flinch anymore. “Only if you want to of course but I need someone to cheer me on. And it’s always a lot of fun, promise.” 

“So I’m supposed to be your personal cheerleader.” 

“Obviously, why would you support Dan? I’m great.” Charles smirks. “There’s a thunderstorm coming and we can only play at that time, you’ll see why, so...please?” 

Charles gives him his best puppy eyes and Lando can’t stop the smile forming on his face - he could never say No to him. Not when he looks at him like that. “Alright. But why the thunderstorm?” 

“Oh, you’ll see.” Charles smirks again and helps him pack his backpack. “And Nico wants to make steak pies tonight so I hope you like that.” 

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Lando blushes, he still finds it incredibly sweet that Nico and the other regularly go grocery shopping for him and cook - really, he is fine with some sandwiches. 

But he appreciates it immensely and Charles kisses him again, languid and deep before they go downstairs, Jenson sitting on the sofa and he looks up from his laptop with a smile when he hears them come in. “You’re heading out?” 

“Yeah, we’re going to play football with my brothers later.” Charles gives him a shy smile (Lando still doesn’t get it but he knows it’s a real one and Charles isn’t pretending) and Jenson laugh heartily. “Lando playing _football_?! Good luck with that then.”

“Thanks, Dad”, Lando mumbles, pulling the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands, hiding them in sweater paws. “I like football!”

“You threw a fit when I took you to a Liverpool match a few years ago.” Jenson gives him an incredulous look but he’s smirking and Lando rolls his eyes, blushing. “That was a few years ago!” 

“You know there’s a thunderstorm coming, right?” Jenson looks at his computer before looking back to them, a serious expression on his face. “Don’t stay out too long.” 

“No worries, the second the storm starts we’ll be inside”, Charles promises and Lando blushes, leaning against him. 

“Alright, you have fun. Are you staying overnight at Charles’?” Jenson shakes his head with a fond smile and Lando nods, pointing at his backpack. “I’m back tomorrow for lunch, we could order Italian?” 

“Sounds good, look after yourself.” Jenson waves at him and Lando hugs him quickly and smiles before leaving the house with Charles, stopping dead in his tracks when he sees the huge Jeep standing in his driveway. 

He’s pretty sure the wheels reach up to his hips, it has a silver colour with metal bars going around it and he raises his eyebrows, a little bit intimidated.

“What happened to your Ferrari?”, he asks before he climbs on the passenger seat and Charles laughs, starting the engine. “We’re going to do a bit of off-road driving and I love my car but it won’t survive that.” 

He drives off the main road and Lando frowns, playing with his phone in his hand. “Where are we going?” 

“A bit up a mountain in one of the national parks, somewhere where we can be sure we’re alone.” Charles smirks, he still looks so excited and Lando nods slowly. Dark clouds are hanging over them and he prays it doesn’t start raining - after living in the UK for nearly seven months now, he still doesn’t own an umbrella.

“And you really play football?” Lando raises his eyebrows and Charles nods, taking a left turn on a small, unpaved road into the woods. “Yep. It’s big fun, you’ll see.” 

The trees are incredibly close to the path by now, the Jeep getting up easily through potholes and over stones and Lando holds onto the handrail on the side, trying his best to remember the way - he fails remarkably. 

“Where the _fuck_ are we?”, he asks when the jeep easily conquers a few more and Charles grins. “Somewhere in Scotland.” 

“Lovely”, Lando mumbles, the clouds are black by now but it isn’t raining yet and he takes a deep breath, trying to ignore the motion sickness that’s slowly spreading through him. 

“And since when do you have a fucking Jeep??”

“We have quite a few cars, one of the outdoor buildings is a garage. The Jeep is actually Dan’s but the others have decided to run.” Charles is still grinning, he seems to enjoy the drive and Lando shakes his head. Fucking rich vampires. 

He’s pretty sure they’re higher up by now, somewhere deep in the forest and he has absolutely no idea where they are. There’s just green around them and he wants to ask but then the trees get less and there’s a huge clearing in front of them. 

It’s at least as big as three football fields, Lando sees the others already standing next to at least twenty footballs and Charles parks the car next to them before he jumps out. 

Lando follows him a bit slower, not keen on breaking his ankle while falling out of a car and Dan comes towards them with a huge grin on his face. “You’re ready to play some football?”

“Yeah.” Charles grins as well while they join the others and Lando only realises now that Charles is not wearing any sports clothes - to be honest, he looks rather like he’s going to some fashion show than playing football in the mud with his family. 

While Max wears his usual cap, some trainers, a simple T-Shirt and shorts, Charles wears black Balenciaga ankle boots, some Versace shirt and black Armani skinny jeans and Lando stares at him incredulously. 

“I love you but are you really going to play football in that?” 

“It’s a bit ridiculous, innit”, Max agrees and they share a quick look, Max giving him a short grin. Lando smiles, their relationship has slightly improved since they talked and Charles crosses his arms in front of his chest. 

“I’m sorry I’m the only one with a fashion sense here.” 

“It’s a _football_ match.” Lando shakes his head amused, Charles rolling his eyes, pressing a kiss on his cheek and Dan grins, spinning one of the balls on his finger. “You wanna pick teams, Lando?” 

“I’m not playing-“

“We know, dear.” Nico puts a comforting arm around his shoulder and waves with one hand at the field in front of them. “It’s too big and we’re - no offence - too fast for you.” 

“So what should I do?” Lando frowns, he actually thought he’s just watching and Seb grins, handing him a yellow and a red card. “Be our referee - Nico will help you, don’t worry. But you can still pick teams.” 

“Nico thinks we cheat”, Dan throws in with a crooked grin and Nico rolls his eyes. “I _know_ you cheat. Behave yourself today, we have a guest.” 

“Please, Lando is family, he knows what a chaotic mess we are.” Seb waves dismissively and Nico raises his eyebrows. “Still.” 

“Okay.” Lando hesitates for a second, his eyes wandering over the six vampires in front of him - how the fuck should he pick teams? He decides to just not give a fuck and he sighs. 

“Max, Kimi, Lewis, you’re Team Gay, Dan, Charles, Seb, you’re Team Sparkly”, he says dryly and while Max stares at him incredulously, Dan bursts out laughing. 

“What?!” Charles blinks confused while Seb and Lewis grin and Kimi shrugs. “Fine by me.” 

He puts a hand on Max’ shoulder, pulling him to the field and Lewis’ grin widens. “We should always let Lando name our teams. Kimi you’re in goal.” 

He follows them, Kimi has just raised his hand as a sign that he heard him and Dan’s eyes wander over his two teammates. “Seb?” 

“Sure thing.” Seb laughs before he wanders off to the right and Lando frowns. The goals are missing but before he can ask his eyes fall on two fallen trees which apparently mark the goal. They’re on both sides and Nico gives him a small smile. 

“Ready?” 

Lando has absolutely no idea what to expect and when he nods, Nico blows the whistle. 

Max’ team has kick-off and from one second to the other, it all goes incredibly fast. There’s a loud thunder shortly before Dan passes the ball to Charles who takes a shot on the goal but Kimi catches it effortlessly, throwing it to Max. 

It all goes so fast Lando has trouble keeping up with the players, the ball is nearly invisible and it’s only when Nico blows the whistle again they stop and he sees what’s actually happening.

Charles is on the floor, a sour look on his face, Max standing next to him with an incredibly pissed off expression and while Nico and Lando slowly walk closer, he leans a bit closer to Nico. 

“What happened?”

“Max fouled Charles”, Nico says calmly and Max’ eyes snap angrily towards him. “I didn’t! It was a fair tackle, he’s just a fucking drama queen-“ 

“You didn’t even touch the ball!”, Charles interrupts him heatedly and Lando stares at them. 

“Yeah no, definitely a foul”, Dan throws in and Max rolls his eyes. “It wasn’t, he’s overdramatic and a fucking actor!” 

Lando stares at them for another moment before he shrugs and shows Max a yellow card.

“Are you fucking kidding me, mate?!” Max glares at him and takes a step forward. “You’re biased, that’s not fair!” 

Lando blinks confused and Dan steps next to Max. “Maxy Moo, you know-“ 

“What did you just call me?!” Max turns slowly towards his boyfriend and Charles has a shit-eating grin on his face. “He always calls you that when you’re alone, where’s the problem?”

“I fucking hate all of you”, Max growls before he stomps back to Lewis and Nico rolls his eyes. 

“Drama queen”, he mumbles and Charles’ free-kick ends in a beautiful goal. 

The match gets more intense after that, Max and Lewis both scoring and high-fiving each other after, a huge grin on their faces. They rotate the positions a bit, Lewis going in goal and Kimi scores another one. 

“Aren’t Germans supposed to be good at football?”, he teases and while Seb snorts, flipping him off, Nico raises his hands defensively. 

“I’m only half-German.” 

“You didn’t even speak Finnish when I met you!” Lewis stares at him and Lando grins. 

“If you go by the World Cup 2018, Germany isn’t really good”, Max yells over half the field and Seb glares at him. “The Netherlands didn’t even fucking participate!” 

“Yeah, England was actually better than Germany”, Lando throws in and Kimi snorts. “Yeah and that’s a fucking disgrace.” 

They keep bantering during the match and Lando stares at Charles with an open mouth when he jumps at least five meters high, somehow getting the ball into the goal. 

“Did you see that?!” Not even a millisecond later Charles is in front of him, pulling him into a deep kiss and Lando grins when he sees the excitement in his eyes. “I did.”

“Get your arse back here, Leclerc!”, Dan yells and Charles winks at Lando one more time before he jumps another time, elegantly avoiding another tackle from Max. 

Lando flinches when Kimi and Dan crash into each other, a loud rumbling sound like two rocks colliding echoing over the clearing but they get up immediately, both laughing and not looking bothered - or hurt - at all. 

Lando decides on a yellow for Dan (Nico said it was his fault and Lando trusts him on that) which gets him a satisfied smirk from Max and Lando can’t get over how competitive they are. 

He watches them in absolute awe and blushes when he sees Nico’s fond look on him. “What?”

“Nothing, I’m just happy Charles found you. He has always been a bit lonely and he deserves this.” Nico gives him a soft smile and Lando blushes even more, his eyes falling on Nico’s wedding ring.

“Are Lewis and you actually married?”, he blurts out and Nico laughs, lazily running a hand through his blonde hair. “Yeah. We made a habit of marrying every time same-sex marriage is legalised in another country.” 

“That’s so cool”, Lando mumbles and he watches how Charles, who’s in goal by now, easily catches the ball Lewis just shot at him. “And super sweet.” 

“Lewis always insists on it - he knows how much it means to me.” Nico absentmindedly plays with his wedding ring, watching his husband play. “Dan and Max married in Australia five years ago for the first time.” 

There’s a soft look in his eyes when he watches his two sons tackle each other, Max actually laughing this time before he lets himself get pulled up by Dan and Lando smiles. 

“And you don’t mind staying at home all the time?” He doesn’t know if it’s his place to ask and he hopes it didn’t come across the wrong way but he knows Nico won’t be mad - and Lando trusts him, feels comfortable around him. 

Nico has always been nothing but kind towards him. 

“Darling, I chose that, don’t worry.” Nico laughs, looking absolutely unbothered. “I have a few degrees in Law, Economics and Engineering and probably could work wherever I want - there are at least five different charities and an online art shop run by me under different pseudonyms. But I mean, someone has to stop Max and Charles from arguing all the time, right?” 

His tone is sarcastic but Lando sees the soft smile on his face when he watches them and Lando snorts. “So bad?” 

“You’re lucky they’re both mostly behaving when you’re there.” Nico grins and Lando shakes his head amused, eyes trained on Charles’ lean figure racing over the field. 

He’s fast, muscles flexing when he jumps again and Lando can’t stop staring. 

They’re moving fast, destroying at least two or three footballs in the process and Lando raises his eyebrows when Nico blows the whistle again - this time, Max is on the floor, Charles standing next to him and rolling his eyes. 

“Did you see that?!”, Max yells at them, clearly pissed and Lando raises his eyebrows. “No.” 

Which is the truth, it has been way too fast for him and Nico sighs. “But I did. Charles fouled Max in the penalty area.” 

Lando hesitates, ignoring the puppy eyes Charles is giving him and he pulls a yellow card for Charles before he points at the penalty point. 

“Guess Team Gay gets a penalty”, he says dryly and while Max smirks satisfied, Charles stares at him offended. “And I thought you love me!” 

“Drama queen”, Lando mumbles but there’s a grin on his face and he watches Max placing the ball on the point. He narrows his eyes when Dan steps into the goal, a huge grin on his face and Max growls. “Really, now, Dan?!” 

“Why not, Maxy Moo?” Dan has a shit-eating grin on his face and Max looks like he’s close to murdering him. “Shut up, Ricciardo.” 

“Why, are you scared, Verstappen?” Dan smirks and Max takes a few steps back, snorting. “You wish.” 

They stare at each other for another moment, it’s dead silent on the clearing before Max kicks the ball in a blur, Lando doesn’t even see it - all he hears is Dan catching it and Max glares at him.

“Dick”, he mumbles and Dan laughs, lazily spinning the ball on his finger. “No verstappening today?” 

One second later Max has tackled him to the ground and Dan’s laughter echoes over the clearing, them rolling over the grass. 

“Idiots”, Nico mumbles and Lewis sighs deeply. “Verstappen, stop trying to murder our opponents!”

“No!”, Max yells back and Lando grins when Charles’ and his eyes meet. 

They go back to playing shortly after, Max deeply kissed Dan before he stole the ball from him and ran back over the whole field with it, scoring a quick goal.

Lando tries keeping up with the game, the score changing constantly and it’s absolutely breathtaking to watch. They’re fast, incredibly skilled and are clearly having fun, shouting at each other and bantering the whole time.

That is until Seb gasps all of a sudden and Lando’s eyes immediately search for Charles to see the reaction on his face. Charles’ head snaps up, looking at Seb, their eyes locking for a second - something passes between them and Charles freezes before he’s next to Lando in an instant before the others even have the chance to ask what’s wrong. 

“Seb”, Nico asks, his voice tense, “what’s going on?” 

“I didn’t- I didn’t see them coming, they’re so fast-“ Seb stares at them, a desperate look in his eyes and Lando swallows dryly. Who- 

“The visitors”, Lewis says with a hoarse voice, they came closer as well now, all surrounding Lando, and Seb nods quietly. Charles pulls Lando closer, eyes falling on the Jeep and he grits his teeth. “How long do we have?”

“Five minutes maximum, they’re incredibly fast- they heard us play and changed their plans- they’re curious-“ Seb shakes his head, leaning against Kimi for support and Charles’ grip around Lando’s hip tightens. 

“I’m _so_ sorry, this should’ve never happened, I’m so, so sorry”, he mumbles and Lando stares at him, a cold feeling spreading through him. “What- Charles, what’s going on-“ 

“Here, put that on.” Dan throws him his hoodie and Lando swallows dryly, pulling the, way too big, black hoodie over his head. 

“It won’t help much”, Max says quietly, “I could smell him all across the field.”

“Stay together”, Kimi orders in a raspy voice while pulling Seb closer. “For now they’re peaceful, they’re not looking for trouble.” 

“Let’s talk with them, see if we can distract them”, Lewis says calmly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “How many, Seb?” 

“Three.” Seb swallows dryly and Dan smiles grimly, cracking his knuckles. “Easy, we can take them.” 

“We’re _not_ fighting them!”, Lewis hisses, he’s tense and exchanges a quick look with Kimi. “Not yet. Lando, stay close to us - don’t move, don’t talk, basically don’t draw any attention to you, do you understand?” 

“Yes”, Lando whispers, fear slowly spreading through him, his stomach tightening in a knot - they’re the vampires who killed all these humans. They’re the ones who killed Rubens. 

He presses himself closer against Charles, Max and Seb staying next to him while Dan joins Kimi, Lewis and Nico in the front. 

“They won’t touch you, baby”, Charles mumbles, his cool fingers digging into Lando’s lower arm. “And I’m so fucking sorry, I shouldn’t have brought you, this was so irresponsible.”

“Why can’t we just leave?”, Lando whispers and he tries to get his shaking voice under control. “I mean, we still have some time, what if-“ 

“They’d catch your scent and the last thing we want is a hunt”, Max interrupts him in a low voice and Lando feels shivers run down his spine. 

“His heartbeat though”, Seb whispers suddenly. “They’re gonna hear his heartbeat, there’s no way they’re gonna miss that.” 

“Lewis, what are we gonna do?!” Charles throws him a desperate look while wrapping his arms around Lando, voice shaking. “They’re gonna notice immediately he’s not one of us.”

“We have to hope for the best”, Lewis mumbles, his eyes wandering from Lando back to the forest, a worried expression on his face. “Hope that they’re not actively paying attention and just assume we’re all vampires. And if they realise... all we can do is hope they respect some boundaries.” 

He exchanges a look with Kimi, something unspoken Lando doesn’t get passing between them and he swallows dryly, his hands shaking slightly. They stay quiet after that, Lando pressed against Charles in Dan’s way too big hoodie, his heart beating so loud he’s sure they’re all hearing it. 

It’s dead silent apart from the occasional thunder, anticipation growing and the mood is tense. They’re all staring at the dark forest, waiting - that is, until Lewis, Kimi and the others suddenly all turn their head towards a faint noise too quiet for Lando’s ears. 

He holds his breath when he sees the three figures walk out of the forest - his mouth is completely dry, fear running through his veins and he’s absolutely terrified. His eyes wander over them, taking in their features and he tries to keep a neutral face somehow, tries to look brave. 

He’s one of them, it will be fine, it _has_ to be fine. Charles promised to protect him. 

The man in the front looks like he’s at least in his forties, dark blonde hair and a lean physique, his walk confident - it’s obvious that he’s their leader. 

The two men behind him keep their distance, both are blonde but the right one is way taller while the left one has a blonde beard and faintly Scandinavian features. 

All of them have dark red eyes though, a burgundy-kinda colour and it sends shivers down Lando’s spine, making him feel uneasy. They’re dressed in normal clothes, moving as elegantly and gracefully as Charles and the others and Lando’s grip around Charles’ hand tightens. 

It started raining, the thunderstorm directly above them, rain pouring down and Lando prays the rain and thunder distract them enough from his heartbeat, the smell of the rain overpowering his scent. 

“We were in the area and heard you play”, the man in the front says in a relaxed voice, he has a British accent and his eyes curiously wander over them, giving them an easy smile. “We got curious. I’m Christian and that are Hulk and Kevin - we travel together.”

Lando tries his best to stay hidden behind Dan and Kimi, he’s pretty sure the latter tries to control the situation with his gift and Lewis steps forward, a polite smile on his face. 

“I’m Lewis and that’s my family: Nico, Daniel and Kimi, and Charles, Max, Lando and Sebastian.” Lando notices he mentioned them in groups, not drawing attention to a single name and he swallows dryly, tension thick between them. 

“Your hunting activities caused us quite a lot of trouble,” Lewis comments, he still sounds incredibly calm and Christian’s eyebrows rise slightly. “My apologies, we didn’t know this territory had been claimed.” 

“We have a permanent residence here.” Lewis’ voice is still polite, flashing him a quick smile and Lando doesn’t miss how the three foreign vampires exchange a surprised look. 

“We were just leaving but if you want we can talk at home more about this”, Lewis suggests and Christian looks like he wants to agree before he suddenly stills, his eyes trained on Lando. His deep red eyes seem to burn holes into him and Lando freezes, panic gripping him and Christian smirks - Lando wouldn’t be surprised if he can smell his fear. 

“Are you interested in sharing your dinner?” He takes a step forward and Charles growls, a deep, animalistic growl that chills Lando to the bones. Charles pulls Lando behind him while Dan, Kimi and Max tense visibly, moving closer to Lando. 

“He’s _mine_ ”, Charles hisses, Lando has never seen him that angry and he gets goosebumps, his heart rate increasing. Christian’s smirk turns into a cruel grin and Lewis takes a deep breath. 

“The human”, his eyes quickly flickering over to Lando, “is ours.” 

“We don’t want any trouble, mate.” Hulk raises his hands defensively and Kevin nods. “We already ate in Carlisle, we’ll leave the human alone.” 

Christian is still staring at Lando though, a smirk on his face and Lando avoids his eyes, Charles’ iron grip around him. 

“I think it’s better if you leave”, Lewis says quietly and Hulk nods. “We will don’t worry. Christian.” He puts a hand on his shoulder and Christian raises his eyebrows, clearly not agreeing but when he sees Kimi’s and Charles’ deadly glare he hesitantly follows them, disappearing into the woods. 

“Fuck”, Dan swears the second they’re gone and Lewis spins around, eyes trained on Charles. “You think he’s a-“ 

“Tracker? Yeah, we’re absolutely fucked. He’s obsessed with hunting and playing and Lando- after my reaction- I just made this his most exciting game ever.” Charles’ voice is pressed, panic in his eyes and Lewis gently shoves them towards the Jeep. 

“Get Lando out of here, we will follow him and meet you at home. Go - _now_.” 

Before Lando even realises it, Charles throws him over his shoulder and races to the Jeep, Dan and Seb by his side while Nico, Kimi and Max follow Lewis. 

“Charles, what- what the fuck- what-“ 

“I thought if I say that you’re mine- vampires normally respect that if a prey has been claimed I- but my reaction has set him off- if I had stayed quiet- _putain_.” Charles is shaking while he places Lando on the backseat before he gets on the driver’s seat, Dan sliding quietly next to Lando. 

Seb takes the passenger seat and Charles starts driving through the dark forest at an incredible speed, Lando shaking. “Charles, what- we-“

“I saw his fucking mind, he wants to play, he starts tonight I- his thoughts-”, Charles’ voice breaks, “fuck, I nearly killed him right on that fucking field!” 

Lando flinches when he feels a cold hand but it’s just Dan taking his hands, stopping them from shaking. 

Lando’s throat tightens, panic gripping him and he tries to calm his breathing, still wearing Dan’s (now wet) hoodie while the Jeep drives hard over a pothole, mud flying around them. 

“We have to get away from here, we need to get you out of Cumbria, out of the _country_ -“

“Charles, we have to go back home”, Seb interrupts him calmly and Dan nods. “We need a plan, we need the others!” 

“No! We need to get away, cross the channel, go to France, Germany- maybe we can talk with Mikka in Finland- I won’t let him get even _close_ to Lando-“

“We can’t just run blindly into the night without a fucking plan!”, Dan growls but Charles shakes his head, fingers around the wheel tightening. “I won’t risk it.” 

“Charles, he has family in Brampton, we would just put his father at risk!” Seb stares at Charles intensively and Lando’s mind wanders to Jenson and he feels sick, squeezing Dan’s hand tightly.

“Charles, please take me back, we’ll figure something out, talk with Jenson but I can’t just leave him!” His heart breaks at it and he swallows down the tears, heart still beating fast in his chest. 

“Charles, turn the car around”, Seb says quietly, his voice a little bit more authoritative. “You know this is a stupid idea, one of us will get hurt otherwise, either Lando or you protecting him - you know he’s gonna follow us.” 

“And we maybe could take on him”, Dan adds, voice low, “but the risk of Lando getting hurt is too high. And you know that, Charles.” 

Charles hesitates, the internal fight he has going on clearly visible on his face before he slows the car, clearly not happy but then he whips the Jeep around and Lando breathes out, trying his best to swallow the tears but he can’t stop shaking and he feels cold, numb. 

His heart is still beating fast in his chest and he has no idea how they could solve this situation. Dan’s thumb is caressing the back of his hand and Lando’s mind races, desperately trying to come up with an idea, a solution. 

“Can’t we just talk with Christian, we-“

“He’s a tracker, _chéri_ ”, Charles interrupts him with a hoarse voice, “he wants you. And he won’t stop until he has you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forever making Christian Horner the bad guy in my fics lmao 
> 
> given the fact that I won't write a fic to New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn I've decided to give Hulk & Kevin a small guest appearance :') artistic freedom and all skskjskd
> 
> but yes! We have the drama and I'm so excited what you'll think because now comes actually the part I fixed a few plot holes of smeyer and changed stuff sooooo 👀
> 
> Thank you so so much for your amazing support, it means the world 💛💛💛💛💛


	14. Chapter 14

They reach the house after twenty minutes, Charles driving straight into a huge garage next to the house, the others already waiting for them. 

They get out of the car but Lando freezes when he sees Kevin and Hulk standing next to Lewis and Charles growls lowly, protectively putting an arm around his waist while Dan and Seb are next to him in an instant, glaring at the other two. 

“What the fuck are they doing here?”, Charles hisses, eyes darkening. 

“They’re not here to fight”, Lewis says calmly while Kevin tenses and Lando notices how Hulk puts a hand on his back. Dan seems relieved to see Max again, pulling him into his arms and Charles narrows his eyes. “Then what are they doing here?” 

“Warning us”, Kimi says with a raspy voice, pulling Seb close - Lando notices Nico isn’t with them. “They are no threat.” 

Charles hesitates for another moment before his posture relaxes a little. 

“They’re saying the truth”, he says unwillingly, staring Hulk dead in the eyes. “They’ve been travelling with Christian for a while because he convinced them that they’re safer together but they don’t want to hurt Lando.” 

His grip loosens a little while Hulk and Kevin stare at him speechless and Max smirks. “He can read your minds.” 

“We’re tired of Christian’s games”, Hulk says, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Kev and I- we just want some peace. And seeing that you guys live here in peace, in a home-“

“You want that too”, Charles ends his sentence quietly, realisation dawning on his face. “You’re a couple!” 

“Yeah, thanks for that”, Hulk comments dryly and Kevin takes a deep breath. “Don’t underestimate Christian, he’s absolutely lethal. In over 200 years I’ve never seen anyone hunt like him.” 

Lewis nods and Hulk puts an arm around Kevin’s waist, turning to leave when Lewis’ voice holds them back. “There’s a clan up in Edinburgh if you are looking for a place to stay; just tell Romain I sent you.” 

Kevin nods while Hulk’s gaze wanders to Charles and he gives him a bitter smile. “I’m really sorry for what happened - we never wanted that.” They turn around, disappearing back into the forest and Charles turns towards Lewis. 

“So what do we do?” His voice is anxious, he still has an arm around Lando’s waist and Max snorts. “Fight that bastard.” 

“We’re not gonna fight him, Max!” Lewis stares at him and Max raises his eyebrows, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Why not?! He’s outnumbered!” 

“We’ll try leading him away, confuse him, make him lose Lando’s scent.” 

“Lando won’t be safe as long as one of them is alive.” Max sounds bitter and Lando hesitates. “What- what if you turn me right now?”

This is not the plan. The plan is to wait three to four years but Lando would rather be immortal now than dead forever and Charles’ head snaps up, staring at him in shock. 

“You would be a bigger liability than actual help, newborns are tricky to handle”, Kimi says calmly before Charles can say something. “And Christian would still try to kill you for ruining his game.” 

“Fighting him is the only option, Lewis, he won’t give up and you know that”, Dan throws in and Lewis sighs - he seems to know they’re right. “I don’t like the thought of killing another creature, even such a sadistic one.” 

“You won’t have to, we can do that on our own.” Kimi gives him a grim smile and Lewis massages his temples. “Get ready, pack your things - you’re right. He doesn’t leave us another choice.” 

He looks defeated but there’s a determinate expression in his eyes and the others immediately spread out through the garage, opening cupboards and packing things. 

“Alright, Lando”, Lewis turns towards him and Lando swallows under his intense gaze, heart beating fast in his chest, “Seb and Kimi will take you to London-“

“I’m going with him”, Charles interrupts him but Lewis shakes his head. “Christian will expect you to stay with Lando and we need you here.” 

“But-“

“He’s right, Charles”, Max interrupts him, stepping next to them and turning to Seb. “How much time do we have left?”

“He’s following Lando’s scent through town and will definitely show up at Lando’s house”, Seb answers quietly. “Which means-“

“Jenson!”, Lando whispers, paling visibly. “He’s in danger, Christian will kill him-“ 

“I’ll take care of that”, Lewis calmly interrupts him. “I’ll tell him you went to Nottingham over the weekend, a spontaneous trip.” 

“Christian will never believe that.” Kimi shakes his head incredulously and Lewis shrugs, running his hand through his braids. “It’s not about Christian, it’s about Jenson not sending a search party after us. And Christian only has two options: believe me and go to Nottingham or not but then waste more time searching. And London is a big city, he’ll need a while until he finds him there.” 

“Time for us to take care of him”, Dan smirks and Lando gets goosebumps at his voice. “It’s hard to kill one of our kind, but we should manage.”

“It’s not impossible”, Kimi adds, “rip him apart and burn the pieces.” 

“And we’ll look after your father.” Lando looks up when Nico comes into the garage, handing him a backpack. “It’s full with food and fresh clothes from Charles to cover your scent - mind giving me your stuff?”

Lando hesitantly hands him his backpack and Nico hands out clothes to the others. “Split up and send him on a hunt through Cumbria, all the way up to Scotland. Take care, my dear.” Nico pulls him into a tight hug, pressing a kiss on his cheek and Lando swallows down the lump in his throat. 

“Nico-“ His voice breaks, not sure what to say - he wants to say ‘Thank You’ but the words are stuck in his throat and then Dan pulls him into a bear hug, lifting him up a little. “Don’t worry buddy, we’ll find that bastard and you’ll be back here in no time.” 

“Don’t die”, Max adds dryly but when Lando looks up he sees the concerned expression in his eyes - it makes his heart soft and Lewis pats his back. 

“I promise, nothing will happen to your father.” He gives him a serious look before he hugs him shortly. “It will be alright.” 

Lando tries swallowing the lump in his throat, tears in his eyes and when he’s standing in front of Charles, he nearly loses it. “Charles-“ 

“I’m so, so sorry, _chéri_ ”, Charles mumbles with a hoarse voice, wrapping his arms around him and Lando holds back a sob. 

“Why can’t you fight him here and I stay in the house?”, he whispers but Charles just tightens his grip. “You’re all in danger because of me-“

“He’s smart, he would find a way to get you away from us.” Charles' voice is incredibly quiet and he presses his face against Lando’s collarbone, breathing in his scent. “I saw his mind, baby, he- the things he has done before-“ 

Charles stops, his voice breaking and Lando can’t stop the tears running down his cheeks. He can’t believe that in the span of just a few hours everything went to shit, that he’s actually running from a vampire who wants to kill him and Charles cups his face in his big hands, gently wiping away some tears with his thumb. 

“Whatever happens, I love you so fucking much, do you understand? You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.” He leans in, kissing him and Lando can’t stop the tears, desperately kissing him back, holding on to Charles as if he’s the only thing stopping him from drowning. 

He tries his best to remember the way his lips feel on his’, his hands around his neck and waist and he ignores the small voice in his head whispering that this could be the last time he’ll ever see him. 

“I love you”, he whispers, his voice breaking and his hands are shaking when he pulls Charles down into another kiss. “You are such a dick, I love you so much.” 

He ignores the tears, not caring about the others and Lando counts it as a miracle that he hasn’t fully broken down yet. 

Charles’ hand is caressing his back, holding him into his arms and Lando buries his face in his shirt, breathing in his familiar smell. It’s cold in the garage and Charles’ body temperature doesn’t really help but Lando couldn’t care less. 

The thought of leaving Charles’ behind him, of going somewhere without him- it breaks his heart, it makes him feel oddly lonely but it mostly terrifies him. 

“We need to go.” Seb’s voice interrupts them and Charles’ instinctively tightens his arms for a moment before he reluctantly backs off. 

“I’m so sorry”, he mumbles again but Lando shakes his head, squeezing his cold hand. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” 

He slings the backpack Nico gave him over his shoulder, Kimi offering him a hand and when Lando takes it, a sudden calmness spreads through him. His eyes wander over the other vampires before Kimi leads him to a black Mercedes and Lando gets in on the backseat. 

He looks at Charles who’s staring at him until Max presses one of Lando’s hoodie in his hand, snapping him out of his stare and then Kimi is driving out of the garage, Seb on the passenger seat and Lando closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. 

He hopes Lewis can sort it with Jenson, hopes his Dad isn’t mad. He hopes Dan, Max and the others manage to kill Christian. And he hopes Charles stays safe and doesn’t get hurt. 

It’s completely dark outside, still raining and Lando pulls his legs up, using one of Charles’ hoodies from the backpack as a blanket. He’s still wearing Dan’s which dried by now and the combination makes him feel warm, protected. 

Kimi is speeding, driving them out of Brampton into the night and Lando leans his head against the cold car door, trying to ignore the desperation that’s settling in him. 

Kimi’s hand is on the gear stick and Lando sees Seb putting his hand over it, squeezing it quickly - it’s such a small gesture but Lando feels like tearing up again and he looks away, watching street lights and deserted villages pass them.

He doesn’t know for how long they are driving, Lando losing track of time and he anxiously plays with his phone in his hands. 

“Can I use my phone?”, he asks with a hoarse voice and he clears his throat, “or can he track it?” 

He doesn’t miss the quick look Seb and Kimi exchange and Seb shakes his head, giving him a comforting smile. 

“No, go ahead”, he says and Lando nods, checking his messages before he mindlessly scrolls through Instagram. 

George and Alex apparently have a date night, George posted about them having dinner together in his story (Alex got him pizza) and Lando’s heart aches. It feels incredibly strange seeing his friends go on with their lives as if nothing has happened and to be fair, for them, that’s the truth. 

They’re not getting chased by a vampire through the country and Lando comments with a heart under George’s story before he closes the app, his throat tightening. 

He doesn’t want to think about this maybe being the last interaction he’ll ever have with them and he closes his eyes, trying to suppress the panic that’s spreading through him. 

“Lewis is with Jenson, your Dad’s save”, Seb suddenly says, looking up from his phone and Lando nods, breathing getting a bit easier. At least his Dad is safe and he pulls Charles’ hoodie tighter around him, staring out of the window.

“What is Christian doing?”, he asks and from the corner of his eyes, he sees Seb hesitate. “I don’t know- I know he was at your house but then I lost him. Dan, Max, Nico and Charles haven’t found him yet.”

That is ... not good and the uneasy feeling in Lando’s stomach gets stronger. They’re still driving twice as fast as the speed limit but the M6 is completely empty and Lando realises that they’re taking the route past Liverpool. 

“Are you hungry?”, Kimi asks him and Lando looks at him a bit surprised, what- 

“There are sandwiches in your backpack and I think Nico also packed you some chocolate”, Kimi adds and Lando tries swallowing the lump that’s forming in his throat. 

“I know”, he cracks out, his stomach revolting at the sheer thought of eating something. “Are you guys okay?” 

“Nothing unmanageable”, Seb says kindly. “Don’t worry about us.” 

Lando nods, forcing himself to take a deep breath. He doesn’t ask what they’re doing in London and where they’re staying - he remembers that Charles mentioned a few flats in the city but he has no idea if they’re actually going to stay there. 

He keeps looking out of the window, Kimi switching on the radio at some point and Lando chokes back a sob when he hears that it’s Queen - why does everything have to remind him of Charles?! God, he hopes he’s safe and he hates the dread he feels when he’s checking his phone, not seeing a new message from Charles. 

The last one is some meme about Biology and Zak from Charles and a ‘am there in ten minutes ❤️’ - it was before he picked him up for the football match. Lando stares at their chat, tempted to read old messages but he knows it won’t do him any good and he locks his phone, watching the screen turning dark. 

He worries so fucking much - not just about Charles. He worries about Dan, Lewis, Nico, even Max and he looks back out of the window, trying to think of something else. 

After another three hours they’re in Greater London, coming in from the North-West and Lando watches them drive by Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace. It’s two in the morning, there aren’t many people in the streets and Lando swallows dryly when they drive in front of the Grosvenor Hotel in Belgravia. 

He stares at the huge building, Seb leading him out of the car, one hand protectively around his waist while Kimi hands the keys to a man in hotel uniform, the guy parking the car for them. 

They enter the huge lobby, it’s completely deserted at this time of the night and Seb leads them to the reception, giving the man behind the desk a bright smile. 

“Good evening, Sir”, he starts, running a hand through his blonde hair and Lando stares at him, watching how Seb unfolds his whole vampire charm on the poor guy. “Our plane from Heathrow was a bit delayed, apologies we’re showing up so late.” 

“I- that’s absolutely no problem, Sir, really-“ The man stumbles over his words, not able to tear his gaze away and Seb’s smile widens. “Is it possible you might have a room for us? We actually just want to sleep and freshen up a little, my husband”, his gaze falls on Kimi who stands silently behind him, “has an important business meeting tomorrow...”

“Of course, I’ll see what I can do!” The man immediately starts typing on his computer and Lando involuntarily relaxes a little. The lobby is warm and bright, Seb still has his arm around him and he’s pretty sure Kimi also helps him to calm down. 

“I could offer you our Deluxe Suite”, the man speaks up and Seb gives him another breathtaking smile. “That would be much appreciated.” 

“Under what name should I register you, Sir? And how long are you planning on staying with us?” The man looks nearly ashamed that he has to ask but Seb’s smile doesn’t falter once. “Sebastian Vettel and we’re not quite sure yet - maybe three days, maybe longer. I’m sorry if that causes you any inconvenience.”

“No, it’s really no bother!” The man blushes before he hands him the keys. “Please let me know if you wish to extend your stay so I can make the arrangements. Breakfast is every morning from 6.30 until 10, a light lunch, afternoon tea and dinner is served in our restaurant on the first floor.” 

“Thank you so much.” Seb collects the keys, still smiling and the man nods, clearing his throat. “If you need _anything_ , please don’t hesitate to ask a member of staff. May we assist you with your luggage?” 

His gaze falls on Lando’s backpack and the black duffel bag Kimi has slung over his shoulder but Seb shakes his head, signing the piece of paper the man handed him. 

“We’ll be fine, thank you. Good Night.” He gives him another smile before he leads Lando to the elevator, Kimi following them quietly and when the doors of the elevator close behind them, Lando breathes out, leaning against Seb. 

“Why the hotel”, he mumbles, watching the numbers of the floors change and Seb sighs. 

“Humans”, he says quietly and they enter the deserted hallway on the 8th floor. “Heartbeats, different smells...we have a flat in Kensington but it’s easier here.” 

Lando just nods while Seb lets them into the room and Lando looks around, tiredness slowly overcoming him. It’s two rooms, a front room with two sofas, a few cupboards and shelves and a bedroom with a single and a King-size bed. 

Kimi drops his bag on the single bed before gently pushing Lando towards the bigger one, taking his backpack from him. 

“You need sleep”, he says calmly but Lando shakes his head, sinking on the soft mattress. 

“I don’t”, he mumbles but Seb gives him a stern look, handing him a black hoodie from the backpack. “You do, there’s no use in just sitting around and waiting.” 

“Yeah but I don’t think I _can_ sleep.” Lando stares out of the window, chewing on his bottom lip and he flinches when two seconds later he’s tucked in under the covers, Kimi giving him a soft smile. 

“You do”, he says quietly, taking his hand and Lando feels the tiredness immediately. It’s mixed with some calmness and he wants to argue with Kimi (he _can’t_ sleep, he needs to know what is going on with Charles and his Dad-) but before he gets the chance his eyes fall closed and he falls asleep.

When he wakes up again it’s bright outside, he’s alone in the room and he stretches, a little disoriented. He’s still clutching onto Charles’ hoodie and he swallows down the lump that’s already forming again in his throat. 

Charles. 

Lando jumps up, his head spinning and he closes his eyes for a moment, not surprised when he feels a pair of cool hands steadying him. 

“Good Morning”, he hears Seb’s voice and Lando opens his eyes, taking a deep breath.

Seb is looking at him worriedly, golden eyes filled with concern and Lando takes a deep breath, orienting himself for a moment. 

He’s in the Grosvenor Hotel in London. 

Seb and Kimi are with him and - Lando checks his phone, ignoring the disappointment when he sees that he doesn’t have a new message from Charles - it’s 11 am. 

He has a bloodthirsty vampire after him who wants to kill him. Charles, in return, wants to rip Christian’s head off for that. 

Lovely. 

“What about Charles?!”, he asks frantically, looking at Seb with pleading eyes and Seb sighs, leading him in the front room. Kimi is sitting on one of the sofas, the TV is on but it doesn’t look like he’s paying it much attention. 

“They lost him”, Kimi says curtly and Lando feels the blood freeze in his veins. “What??” 

“They lost Christian”, Kimi repeats and Seb nudges Lando towards the food that’s arranged on the table. “You need to eat.” 

Lando doesn’t even try to argue this time, he knows it’s pointless and he sinks down on the sofa next to Kimi, reaching for a bagel - he’s absolutely not hungry.

He chews on his bagel, his stomach tightening and expectantly looking at Seb and Kimi. “So?” 

“They lost Christian”, Kimi says, pulling Seb next to him, one arm around his shoulder. “Means the others will come to London tonight and Charles and you will take a plane from Heathrow to Canada.” 

Lando swallows dryly, putting the bagel in front of him - he’s not hungry. “What about you?”

“We’ll try and track him down”, Seb says quietly. “Max and Dan will follow you in a few days when you’re settled.” 

Canada. Lando feels sick, he can’t just leave everything behind- his home, his friends, his...Dad. 

“What about Jenson?”, he whispers. “He’ll ask questions, he’ll never let me go! I can’t just fuck off to Canada, I can’t just leave everything behind-“ 

“There’s no other way”, Kimi interrupts him. “Lewis will take care of Jenson, don’t worry about that. And it won’t be forever, maybe a few weeks.” 

Lando still stares at him, heart beating fast in his chest and he checks his phone, the tension in his chest easing a little when he sees that Charles wrote him. ‘See you tonight _chéri_ ❤️’. 

The tears are back and Seb pulls him in a tight hug. “It’s going to be okay, we-“

He stops mid-sentence, a hazy look over his eyes and Lando stares at him before turning to Kimi. “What-“

“What do you see?” Kimi is kneeling in front of Seb in an instant, taking his hands in his own and Seb closes his eyes.

“Moons”, he mumbles and while Lando frowns, Kimi nods. “Okay. What else?” 

“I don’t know.” Seb sounds frustrated and when he opens his eyes again, they’re back to being clear and golden. “It’s a dark room but there are also moons and stars and it doesn’t make sense.” 

Kimi rubs soothing circles on his back while Lando stares at his breakfast, they ordered way too much food and he feels sick once again. He pulls his legs up and hesitantly looks over at Seb and Kimi. 

“But I don’t even have my passport with me-“ 

He stops when Seb pulls something from his pocket and Lando freezes when he realises it’s his British passport. 

“Lewis got it before we left”, he says quietly. “You’ll leave tonight for Vancouver.” 

“But Charles is with me?”, Lando asks and Kimi nods. “Of course.” 

They stay quiet for a bit, Lando watching TV (it’s a rerun of The Great British Bake-Off) but he can’t concentrate and when the silence threatens to suffocate him, he sits up, clearing his throat. 

He needs distraction, he doesn’t want to think about the whole situation and he asks the first question that comes to his mind. 

“How did you guys become a vampire?”, he asks hesitantly. “Charles said- well he didn’t say much-“ 

He stops, blushing and Kimi and Seb exchange an amused look with each other before Kimi clears his throat. 

“I got turned in 1742 - the year in which Finland attempted to create a Kingdom - after I nearly died on the battlefield. I was a soldier fighting for my country and the vampire who turned me recruited me for his army of vampires.” 

“Army of-“ Lando stares at him, actually speechless and Kimi shrugs. “It was the 18th-century. I ... ‘worked’ with him for a few years before I finally got away and ran into Mikka. I lived with his clan for a long time but they drank human blood and I got depressed.” 

Kimi stays quiet for a moment and Lando has never heard him talk so much at once. 

“I left Finland after World War II ended, travelled down to Germany to see the aftermath.” There’s a bitter smile on Kimi’s face and he pulls Seb closer to him. “I found this one in an empty restaurant in Berlin, waiting for me.” 

“You took your time”, Seb comments dryly but there’s a soft smile on his face and Kimi’s mirrors it, pressing a soft kiss on his lips. “My apologies.” 

Lando watches them, unable to hide his smile and he chews on his bottom lip, trying not to think about Charles. 

“You knew he was coming?”, he asks and Seb nods. “I did. My ... backstory is a bit more complicated. And it’s connected to Christian.” He grimaces and while Kimi’s arm around his waist tightens, Lando stares at him. 

“How?!” 

“Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?” Seb gives him a forced smile and pulls his legs up, leaning against Kimi’s broad chest. 

“I was born 1900 in Germany and I’ve been quite a happy kid, getting along with my siblings and a mother who loved me very much - but remember, this story has no Happy End.” He smiles shortly before his eyes darken and Lando gets a dread feeling in his stomach. “I’ve always had my...visions but no one believed me. When I was 15, in the middle of World War I, I had a vision of my mother getting murdered.” 

Seb stares at the TV, his mind somewhere completely else. 

“My father didn’t believe me, called me crazy and insane but then she really died and he blamed me.” Seb shakes his head and sighs, putting his head back. “They put me in an asylum which was...rough.” 

“Holy shit”, Lando whispers, for a second forgetting everything that is going on and Seb nods. “Yeah. One of the workers at the asylum though - he was really nice and we became friends. He was a vampire.” 

“Was it Christian?”, Lando asks quietly but to his relief, Seb shakes his head. “No, his name was Michael. A really nice guy, treated me like I was his son and saved me from quite a few horrible treatments.”

Lando nods, holding on closer to the hoodie while Seb keeps talking. 

“In 1924 I had a vision of Christian - I knew he wanted to kill me the second he caught my scent. I told Michael and he left with me, trying everything to keep me safe. But, you know, it’s Christian.” 

Seb gives him a bitter smile and for a moment he looks so vulnerable and young that Lando’s heart breaks. 

“Michael bit me before he sacrificed himself for me, Christian killing him out of anger that Michael ruined his game.” There’s grief in Seb’s voice and Kimi pulls him closer, Lando swallowing dryly. 

“He let you live?” 

“Yeah. Guess he wanted to see how much havoc I can cause to the world, see if the FIA intervenes.” Seb sounds disgusted and he shakes his head. “My first vision when I woke up was about meeting Kimi and that was the only thing that kept me going. And the vision about me meeting Lewis’ and his family.” 

It’s quiet after that, Lando trying to somehow wrap his head around this. He’s in London, Christian is still after him but apparently also tried killing Seb nearly 100 years ago. 

He’s flying to fucking Canada tonight and he has no idea when he’ll see his Dad again. 

“I’m so sorry I brought this on all of you”, he whispers, eyes flickering from Seb to Kimi. “I’m not worth it and you shouldn’t have-“

“You are worth it”, Kimi interrupts him gently, his voice firm. “I’ve never seen Charles as happy as with you.” 

Lando stares at him, his heart breaking when he thinks about Charles and he draws in a shaky breath, grip around the hoodie tightening. 

“And the thing is”, Seb starts slowly, “Christian won’t just kill you and then stop. He saw me on that clearing and he- I don’t know if Charles knows but I had another vision. He wants to finish me off after he’s done with you. Unfinished business and all.” 

“I’m so sorry”, Lando whispers. “Really.” 

“We’ll find a way out of this mess, don’t worry.” Seb pulls him into a quick hug before he rises gracefully, getting his wallet. “I’m gonna pay for the room already.” 

He kisses Kimi, lingering for a second before he disappears and Lando takes a deep breath. He falls back on the sofa, staring at the TV and he can’t shake the uneasy feeling off. Christian is somewhere out there, hunting him and chills run down his spine. 

He feels cold and Lando wants nothing more than normality back. 

He flinches when his phone rings but the Caller ID says ‘Papá’ and he relaxes, quickly picking up. “Hey, Papá.” 

“Lando?? Lando, _cariño_ where are you??”, he hears the panicked voice of his father and Lando sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Hi, Papá.” 

Kimi, who looked up at the ringing, gets up and gives him a small smile. “I’ll give you some privacy.” He disappears into the other room, Lando is pretty sure he could still hear him but he appreciates nevertheless. 

“What’s wrong? Why are you awake?” Isn’t Sydney nine hours ahead of London, meaning it’s midnight there- 

There’s a rustling at the end of the line and Lando frowns. Did he drop his phone? It wouldn’t be the first time and- 

“Hello, Lando”, a familiar voice with a British accent says and Lando freezes, heartbeat picking up immediately. “What-“

“Shhh, don’t spill our secret now”, Christian interrupts amused and Lando forces himself to keep breathing, blood rushing in his ears. 

“Be very careful not to say anything until I tell you to”, Christian continues and Lando feels like he’s fainting. No. No, no, no- 

“Because I really don’t want to have to hurt your Papá, do you understand? Answer in Spanish.” 

“Sí”, Lando whispers, hand gripping the edge of the sofa and he stares at the wall, phone pressed against his ear. 

“Good boy.” Christian‘s voice is mocking and Lando draws in a shaky breath, staying quiet. “Now, repeat after me: ‘I’m fine Papá, no need to worry.’”

“I’m fine Papá, no need to worry”, Lando forces himself to say, keeping the Spanish and he hears Christian laugh at the other end of the line. “Very good, kid. Now, are you alone?” 

“Yes.” Lando’s voice is barely more than a whisper and he closes his eyes, forcing himself to keep his cool - at least until the phone call is over. “Good. You know, I was prepared to wait, paid your Dad a little visit but unfortunately, he already had a visitor.”

Christian’s voice is still light and friendly and Lando thanks every God there is that Lewis took care of Jenson. 

“But then I overheard a phone call between your two fathers - your Papá planned on surprising you given that spring term ended, isn’t that nice?” 

“Sí”, Lando whispers again, his brain frozen in terror. Fernando- no. He’s in Sydney, with Mark, why would he come to the UK- but he has always been spontaneous. And he heard his voice- 

“Now, I need you to listen to me very carefully, Lando. Do you think you will be able to get away from your friends?” 

Lando thinks about Kimi in the room next door and Seb probably being on his way back up already and his throat tightens. “No.” 

There’s no way he can escape two vampires. 

“Well, that’s a pity. I really don’t want to have to hurt your Papá...”

“Lando!” That’s Fernando’s voice again, panicked and Lando can feel the tears pool in his eyes, he feels ice-cold. 

“Do you think you could get away from them if your father’s life depended on it?” Christian’s voice is still light, friendly even and Lando chokes back a sob, pulling himself together. 

They’re going to Heathrow later- 

“Yes.” 

“Very good, Lando. Now, do you remember how to get to Buckingham Palace? You’ve always liked the Change of The Guards, didn’t you?” 

How does he know, how- Lando closes his eyes, pushing back the panic and swallows. 

“Yes.” His voice is thick with tears and he hears Christian laugh at the other end of the line. Sadistic bastard. “Your Papá was more than willing to share a bit more information about you. I want you to go there, Lando - alone. There will be a Missing Dog poster on a lamp post with a number on it - call it and you will get more information on where your Papá is. Do you understand?” 

“Sure thing.” Lando tries keeping his voice steady but he’s shaking, his grip around his phone so tight his hand hurts and the tears silently running down his face. 

“Good, very good. I think you understand you have to come alone - we don’t want your Papá to get hurt after all, right?”

“No.” 

“See. In case you should fuck up, your friends notice anything or you simply don’t come alone - let’s just say I’ll know. And I’ll definitely enjoy drinking your father’s blood.” 

Lando freezes, panic gripping him and he forces himself to keep breathing. 

“Please-“ 

“Ah, careful, Lando. I give you two hours - you know where to find me. Now say goodbye, yeah?”

“Bye, Papá. _Te quiero_.” Lando’s voice breaks when Christian hangs up and for a moment he stares at his phone, panic threatening to overwhelm him. He sees Kimi enter the room again with a worried expression on his face but before he can ask Lando dials Mark’s number. 

It rings for what feels like forever and Lando closes his eyes, praying and trying to keep his tears under control. 

“Lando?” Lando nearly cries when he hears Mark’s sleepy voice and he taps on the video chat symbol. “Mark, is Papá with you? Please, is he-“ 

Lando’s voice breaks and he hears rustling before Mark switches on the light, a confused expression on his face. 

“Lando, are you alright?”, Fernando’s voice appears next to him, leaning into the camera and Lando has never felt more relieved in his life, tears running down his cheek. “Papá, are you in Australia?” 

He needs to know, needs to be sure- 

“I am, baby, why?” Fernando frowns and his eyes widen when he sees the tears on his face. “Lando, are you alright?? What’s wrong, _cariño_?!”

“Nothing, I just fell asleep in the afternoon and had a bad dream.” Lando swallows dryly, his grip around his phone tight and he wipes the tears away, Fernando giving him a warm smile. “Don’t worry, we’re here in our bedroom in Sydney. We went to a BBQ on the beach yesterday!” 

“Okay.” Lando takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair and his eyes meet with Kimi’s who’s standing in the door, watching him with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Papá, I- I need to go, Dad just came home”, Lando lies and Fernando nods, stifling a yawn. “Alright, tell him he should hug you from me, yeah?” 

“Will do.” 

Lando hangs up and Kimi and he stare at each other for a moment before Kimi is next to him in mere seconds, pulling him into a hug.

“What happened?”, he asks and Lando takes a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. 

“Christian made a mistake”, he says quietly, looking up into Kimi’s golden eyes. “He called me and said he has my Papá - I believed him because there was his voice even though I don’t know how.” 

Lando’s throat tightens and he takes a deep breath. “I called Mark after that.” 

“He’s your Papá’s boyfriend, right?”, Seb asks, he’s back and sitting down on his other side and Lando nods. “Yep. And both are in Australia.” 

It’s quiet for a moment and Kimi leans forward, giving him a long look. 

“Lando”, he starts slowly, “do you know where Christian is?” 

“Not yet but I have a plan.” Lando takes a deep breath, swallowing down the anxiety. It’s not perfect and he knows the chances that Seb and Kimi will agree are slim but they only have two hours and- he can’t go to Canada and lose Christian again.

They only have one chance and they need to get this over with.

“How long do you need from Brampton to London if you run?”, he asks and Kimi shrugs. “Roughly an hour, why?” 

“Alright, look.” Lando gets up, pacing through the room. “He gave me two hours. I’m gonna leave in fifteen minutes-“

“You are _not_ going-“

“Go to the place he said I should go, call him again to get the location. I will go there as a bait. You call Lewis and the others, tell them to come to London - I text you the location when I’m there.” 

“Absolutely not.” Kimi crosses his arms in front his chest but Lando shakes his head. “It’s our only chance!”

“We’ll get another one-“ 

“He won’t make another mistake like that!” Lando stares at him, desperation seeking through him. 

“I need roughly half an hour from here to the first location and probably not long from there to where he is hiding given the fact I only have two hours but I can tell him I ran away at Heathrow - that takes me over an hour.” 

“It’s all about the timing”, Seb mumbles and Kimi’s eyes snap towards him, an incredulous look on his face. “Seb-“ 

“The second I’m there I’ll text you, you won’t take long and can surprise him”, Lando adds, “but if I tell you the location when he gives it to me, I know you’ll come. Or Charles reads your mind when he’s here and comes for me immediately. And Christian will know.” 

“And disappear”, Seb mumbles, Lando nodding. “Exactly. You all said he’s so dangerous and if he disappears again- I don’t want to spend the rest of my human life hiding.” 

Lando swallows dryly and Kimi shakes his head. “You are _insane_ , Charles-“ 

“Won’t know until it’s too late!” 

“What makes you think you can hold Christian off?”, Kimi asks, a challenging undertone in his voice and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“You said this is all a game for him - you can’t tell me he won’t take the chance and play with his prey a little bit.” His stomach turns at his own words but Seb nods slowly. “Kimi, he has a point.”

“Seb!” Kimi stares at him, pacing through the room as well. “You can’t seriously consider this!” 

“Lando has a point, he will disappear again the second Lando doesn’t show up or shows up with us. And it will take us years to find him again - he’s as good in hiding as he’s in hunting.” 

“You’re insane”, Kimi mumbles, “absolutely insane.” But Lando sees that his defence is slowly crumbling and Lando gives him a pleading look. 

“Please, just call Lewis the second I’m gone - I’ll take my time, okay? I’ll only go there when I know they’re in London but he needs to see I came alone.”

“And then he’s too distracted by the hunt to notice us”, Seb mumbles, exchanging a quick look with Lando. “It’s stupid and self-sacrificing and there’s a 90% chance that this will go wrong but-“ 

He stops mid-sentence, a hazy look in his eyes and Kimi stiffens. “What is it?” 

“Christian in a dark room and Lando- Dan-“ Seb stops, staring at the wall in front of him before he looks back at Kimi, a determinate expression in his eyes. “It will work.” 

“Are you sure?” Kimi doesn’t look convinced but Seb nods and Lando pushes his phone back in the pocket of his jeans, heart beating faster. “Okay. I’ll text you the second I’m there.”

“Take care, kid”, Kimi mumbles, pulling him into a tight hug. “Don’t die - Charles would never forgive us.” 

“Didn’t plan to.” Lando gives them a crooked grin and Seb hugs him as well, pressing a kiss against his cheek. 

“Stay safe”, he whispers and Land nods before he hesitates, looking at the backpack that’s still on the bed. He quickly changes from Dan’s hoodie into Charles’ and heads for the door, heart beating in his chest. 

“See you later.” 

Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was literally one of the hardest things to work out because I _hated_ what smeyer did in the book and the movie so yeah I'm really really curious what you think about it! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for all the love and support 💛💛💛💛 it means the world to me 
> 
> 💛💛💛


	15. Chapter 15

He’s not on a suicide mission. He’s _not_ on a suicide mission, this is all carefully planned and Lando has to keep telling himself that when he leaves the hotel, breathing in deeply.

People are passing him, not paying him any attention and Lando checks that he still has his Oyster Card before he’s making his way to the tube. He falls on a free seat, closing his eyes for a second and taking a deep breath. It will be alright. 

It sounds so easy: going to Buckingham Palace, calling the number, going to wherever Christian is hiding, sending his boyfriend his location and in less than five minutes the others will be there to take care of Christian. He just needs to hold him off for five minutes. 

Lando sighs, putting his head back and staring at the ceiling of the tube. 

He has sounded so confident back in their hotel room, doing his best to convince Kimi and Seb that this is a good plan and he still stands by what he said - doesn’t mean he isn’t terrified. 

He’s gonna face a lethal vampire who wants to kill him and Lando hesitates, exiting the tube at the next stop - he still has way too much time anyway. 

He stands on the pavement for a moment, mind racing while people pass him and he chews on his bottom lip, running a hand through his hair. 

He strolls into a Tesco, walking past the different shelves and doesn’t really pay much attention to anything until his eyes fall on a long, sharp kitchen knife. He hesitates, eying it curiously and chews on his bottom lip. 

A simple knife won’t kill a vampire. But it might distract him. 

And he doesn’t really want to walk unarmed into his death.

Lando reaches for it without a second thought, buying it and hides the knife in the sleeve of his hoodie when he goes back on the tube, trying to look inconspicuous - the last thing he needs now is getting questioned by the police. 

He plays with his phone in his hands, watching the minutes tick down until his timer tells him that it’s time to go to his next location and he takes a deep breath when he exists the tube station, walking from Green Park Station to Buckingham Palace, ignoring all the excited tourists that are passing him. He envies them a little bit, everything is so normal to them and he takes his time - he’s supposed to come from Heathrow after all. 

He stops when he’s in front of the Queen Victoria Memorial, his eyes wandering over the streetlights lining the street. 

One has a piece of paper attached to it and Lando slowly walks closer, his stomach clenching when he sees it really is a Missing Dog poster for some cute little dog named ‘Dexter’. It looks completely ordinary and Lando hesitates but time is ticking and he quickly dials the number, praying it is the right one. 

“Lando?” Christian’s voice is still incredibly calm and Lando clears his throat, trying to stop his own voice from shaking. “Yes.” 

“Good boy. Are you alone?” 

“Yes.” Lando’ mouth is completely dry and he watches a group of friends settle on the steps of the Memorial, laughing and bantering. 

“I appreciate that you are not lying to me, my dear - your Papá would have paid the price for that.” Christian’s voice is indifferent and Lando grits his teeth. Fucking liar. He keeps his act up though and freezes when his brain catches up with the first part of the sentence. 

“How do you know I’m not lying?” That slips out before he can stop himself and he hears Christian chuckle. “Do you really think I wouldn’t be watching you, Lando? But you made a smart decision coming alone and I hope you continue to make smart decisions.”

He is watching him. He is fucking watching him and Lando gets goosebumps, eyes frantically wandering over all the people - of course he doesn’t spot him. He’s a fucking vampire and he shivers when he hears Christian chuckle again. 

“Alright, do you remember the Science Museum? I heard the Space Exhibition has always been your favourite.” His tone is soft with a mocking undercurrent and Lando takes a deep breath, trying not to panic. “I do.” 

“Good. Come and meet me there - and again, come alone. We don’t want your Papá getting hurt, right?” 

“No”, Lando whispers, chills running down his spine - he knows his Papá isn’t in danger but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s scared shitless. 

“See you very soon, Lando. And I don’t have all day so: time’s ticking.” 

He hangs up and Lando closes his eyes for a second, forcing himself to keep a neutral face. The fucking Science Museum. Of course. 

He’s pretty sure Christian is watching him leave and Lando pulls the hood of his hoodie over his head, hands in his pocket. The others should arrive soon as well and he makes his way to the Science Museum. 

He feels oddly normal between all the people on the underground and he plays with the strings of his hoodie, trying to ignore the fact that this could very well be his last tube ride ever. That Christian could easily just snap his neck and- 

No. No, he can’t allow his mind to go there and Lando knows they only have this one chance because if Christian disappears and goes into hiding- let’s just say Lando doesn’t want to spend his next few years hiding from an insane vampire in Canada. 

He leaves the underground in South Kensington, taking a deep breath when he’s outside and he closes his eyes for a moment. It’s getting dark already, people rushing past him, going home from work or tourists heading back to their hotels and Lando checks his phone again. 

He still has a few minutes until Lewis and the others will be in London and he walks to the Natural History Museum, smiling faintly when he sees the familiar building. His Dads always took him there as well, looking at the dinosaurs with him and Lando feels a sudden wave of nostalgia wash over him. 

He misses both of them so much and he promises himself that when this is all over he’ll force both of them to spend a weekend in London with him. Just he and his Dads, going to museums and for food and ice cream and maybe they can meet Charles and it will be a normal weekend. 

Exactly what he’s missing right now. 

Lando takes a picture of the museum before he looks at the messages in the group chat with his friends. 

Alex asked him if he wants to join them on Discord later this evening and it’s such a normal question that Lando nearly tears up his throat tightening. He wants nothing more than that, to be honest. 

Be back at home, eating dinner with his Dad before playing Call of Duty or Fortnite or Rocket League with the others, talking shit over Discord before he goes back to school the next morning, whispering with Alex in English Literature and going for lunch with his friends and Charles. 

Brampton might not be the centre of the universe but it’s the centre of Lando’s universe and he can’t believe he’s actually missing it. 

He checks his phone battery again but it’s at 96% battery, he charged it last night and Lando starts slowly walking down Exhibition Road towards the Science Museum. He feels like a prisoner going to his own execution, walking into certain death. 

He knows he could always easily turn around, walk back into the Circle line and go back to the hotel. Seb and Kimi wouldn’t be mad, he would see Charles again and they could take that plane to Vancouver tonight.

They could try and hide while Lewis and the others take care of Christian here in Europe. 

He could be back in the UK in just a few weeks, finish school and somehow try to explain to his Dad why he suddenly left the country. 

Except that it could also easily take four to five years and if Lando believes what the others have said about Christian - his insane senses, his hunting instinct, that he’s one of the best - then that’s a risk he doesn’t want to take. 

Christian made exactly one mistake and they have to take advantage of that. 

Lando opens his WhatsApp chat with Seb, feeling a bit more relieved when he sees a simple ‘they’re here’ and he stops in front of the entrance of the museum. He only realises now that it’s after closing time but he’s sure Christian figured something out and Lando takes a deep breath, listening to the city bustling around him for another moment before he steps towards the doors. 

He quickly looks around but no one is watching him and when he pushes down the handle, the door is open. 

He steps inside, the heavy door falling shut behind him and an eerily silence settles around him. Lando takes a deep breath, pressing Send on his location in WhatsApp before locking his phone, pushing it back in the pocket of his jeans - he’s not sure if Christian isn’t watching him. 

He doesn’t see him but that doesn’t have to mean anything (he didn’t see him before either) and he slowly steps further into the entrance hall. He hasn’t been here in over five years and he hesitates, checking the sign next to him on the wall. 

‘Space Exhibition, Level 0.’ 

Great. Lando takes a deep breath, his heart beating loudly in his ears and he tries to orientate himself, slowly walking through the Robots Exhibition. The videos are still running and it’s bit creepy, shivers running down Lando’s spine. 

He feels watched and he doesn’t know if that’s because of the robots or Christian, his breathing quickening a little. The knife in his sleeve gives him a bit of security and he steps on the escalator. He’s the only person in here, heart beating in his throat and Lando grips the handrail, feeling sick. 

As much as he always jokes about wanting to die - it was meant to be a _joke_. He thought he’d die of climate change, not in the fucking Science Museum by the hands of a fucking vampire.

Even though that’s definitely a cooler death than getting crushed by a car. 

Lando takes a deep breath, walking past all the ancient machines, knife still hidden in the sleeve of his hoodie. He won’t die. He’ll survive this and then Charles owes him a pizza. 

Maybe Lando can even talk him into climbing fucking Buckingham Palace later that night. 

He enters the rooms for the Space Exhibition, his eyes falling on the huge moons on the ceiling and he groans inwardly. Seb’s vision suddenly makes so much more sense but that only means he was right: his plan will work.

It’s dark in here, darker than in the other parts of the museum and Lando forces himself to keep walking, not turning around and his heart breaks a little when he sees the familiar shape of the full-sized replica of the _Eagle_ \- the lander that took the astronauts to the moon in 1969.

He has always been fascinated by it and his throat tightens - he needs to keep his game up, needs to play along. 

“Papá?”, he calls hesitantly, wandering through the exhibition and trying to shake off the eerie feeling that’s spreading through him. “Papá where are you?!” 

Obviously he doesn’t get an answer, Fernando isn’t here and Lando flinches when he hears a sudden “Lando??” in his Papá’s voice. What the- 

He turns around and on one of the videowalls plays an old video Lando faintly remembers. It looks like it’s from 2007 and he stares at his five-year-old self, running through the science museum - excited, his Dad filming while Fernando pretends to search for him. 

“Lando, _cariño_ , where are you??” Fernando comes into view, visibly younger and Lando watches his five-year-old self running towards him, giggling and throwing himself into his arms. “Papá!” 

The moment nearly makes Lando tear up and he takes a deep breath, chills running down his spine. 

That bastard searched his room. Hacked his laptop. 

He turns around and freezes when Christian appears out of nowhere in front of him, a smile on his face and he pauses the video. 

“Lando, lovey that you could make it.” He closes the heavy doors behind him, closing off the exhibition room from the rest of the museum and Lando’s heart starts beating even faster. Trapped. 

“Where’s my Papá?” His voice is shaking and he’s surprised by his own acting skills - but to be fair, it isn’t that hard to fake some panic. He’s trapped here with a vampire who wants to kill him and even though he knows Charles and the others are already on their way - he’s scared. 

“Oh, he isn’t here.” Christian looks incredibly satisfied while he’s circling him like a cat its prey and Lando swallows dryly. “What?” 

His voice cracks a little and Christian shrugs, voice still polite. “You see, I don’t like fighting seven vampires at once. I’d clearly lose so I had to get you away from them.”

“Coward.” That slips out before Lando can think about it and he cautiously takes a step back while Christian’s eyes narrow. They’re nearly black, only a hint of red left in them and Lando swallows dryly. Thirsty then. 

“What did you just say?” 

“I said”, Lando takes a deep breath, every bit of self-preservation leaving him, “you’re a coward. You don’t even dare to fight two vampires while I walk alone into the fucking Science Museum, knowing fully well you want to kill me.”

He’s playing with fire here, he knows that and Christian stares at him for a moment before his lips turn into a cruel smile. 

“You might call it brave, I call it incredulously stupid.” He steps closer and Lando forces himself to stay where he is, cautiously watching him. “Because in the end, I’m the one who’ll walk out alive and you...not so much.” 

Christian’s finger trails from Lando’s cheek to his neck and Lando shivers, finally taking a step back again. “Don’t touch me!” 

Christian raises his eyebrows, clearly amused and he starts circling him again while Lando shakily breathes out, the knife still pressed against his arm below the sleeve. 

“You just made it too easy”, Christian mumbles, red eyes flickering from Lando over the exhibition pieces around them. “You see, your Daddy wasn’t home when I searched your house but I found some interesting videos there on your laptop. And after your Daddy got a guard dog, I had to come up with a different plan.”

“How did you fake the phone call?” Lando’s voice is merely a whisper and Christian smirks. “An old trick, simple, really. And the videos on your laptop were truly helpful...” 

His eyes fall on the video wall and Lando’s breathing quickens, he’s something between pissed and absolutely terrified. He internally curses himself for not using a password on his computer and he licks his lip, the knife still in his sleeve. 

His Papá has sent him those videos a few weeks ago, Mark found them on an old camcorder and pulled them on Fernando’s laptop for him. Lando completely forgot about them and he grits his teeth, taking a deep breath. 

“It took you quite some time to show up at Buckingham Palace.” Christian’s voice is casual but Lando hears the undercurrent suspicion and he forces himself to stay focused. He has a role to play even though the bad feeling in his stomach only intensifies - where are Charles and the others?! 

“We went to Heathrow”, his voice is hoarse and he clears his throat, swallowing down some tears, “I was supposed to go to Dubai with Charles tonight. The airport- it was the only way to get away from them in the crowd.” 

“Mhh, smart.” Christian smirks and he shakes his head amused. “And you really wanted me to believe you’ve gone to Nottingham - what the fuck would you’ve done there? No, London is way more...exciting.” 

There’s a dangerous spark in his eyes and Lando straightens his back, moving back another step. Time is ticking by and he can feel his body tense more and more every second. Why aren’t they here, what- 

“You humans are so predictable, thinking you can hide in a big city, thinking I wouldn’t find you. I usually get a feeling about the prey I’m hunting, kind of like a sixth sense - and I have pretty good senses. I found your phone number on the fridge, your Dad pinned it there for emergencies I guess - very sweet of him.” 

Christian’s voice is still so polite and friendly and Lando wants to punch him in the face, his heart breaking when he thinks about Jenson. God, he hopes he‘s safe - and he hopes he will forgive him. 

“It’s really disappointing you fell for it so easily”, Christian murmurs and Lando glares at him, gathering all his courage. “And you’re a coward for going after a vulnerable human.” 

“Oh? You think this is about you?” Christian raises his eyebrows and one second later he’s in front of him, pushing him against the wall. “You think this is really about you? Given, your blood smells delicious but it’s rather how protective the others seemed about you...a shame they didn’t pick up on this.” 

Christian shakes his head in disappointment and Lando is frozen in fear, heart beating in his throat. Charles, where the _fuck_ are you-

What if they don’t come at all. What if Charles got so mad that he- what if they decided to fuck off to god knows where to keep Seb safe- 

‘Bullshit’, he chides himself internally. Bullshit. Charles loves him, maybe they got held up, maybe- maybe his message didn’t send- 

Lando desperately wants to check his phone but he knows he can’t and he swallows dryly. 

“You think your boyfriend comes after me?” Christian sounds nearly _hopeful_ and Lando grits his teeth. “No, I don’t think so. I told him not to - left him a note.” 

He didn’t, that’s a lie but Christian doesn’t have to know that. But if he really dies here- fuck. He fights against the tears that are building in his eyes and Christian’s smile widens, clearly enjoying his reaction. 

“How unfortunate”, he whispers, finger trailing over Lando’s cheek again. “Well, luckily I also saw that the blonde kid is still alive - we have some unfinished business, you know. A tragedy, he had so much potential.”

Christian shakes his head in mocking disappointed and Lando takes a shaky breath, debating if he should just stab him now or if that will get him killed faster. 

“Maybe that will be a bit more...challenging then.” His finger is back on Lando’s neck and he knows what he’s about to do is very, very stupid. But he’s also very, very desperate and his grip around the knife’s handle tightens before he rams it into Christian’s chest, running past him. 

Stupid, unreliable vampire. 

His heart is beating fast in his chest and he nearly makes it towards the heavy doors but then Christian is back in front of him, the knife still in his chest and he smirks. “Well, that got interesting.” 

He pulls the knife out, he’s bleeding but seems unfazed and Lando stares at him in pure horror. 

“But it’s also a bit pointless, innit?” Christian gives him a fake smile before he throws him backwards and Lando feels like he can’t breathe for a second when his back hits one of the exhibition pieces. 

He stares at him with wide eyes, the pain slowly catching up and he groans, watching how Christian slowly comes closer, the knife still in his hand. 

“Did you really think you’d have a chance?” He snorts and Lando narrows his eyes, ignoring the pain in his back while he scrambles back to his feet. 

“Did you really think I’d be intimidated by your big villain speech?” 

He should sometimes really keep his mouth shut. 

Christian stares at him, he looks genuinely surprised by his boldness and Lando grits his teeth - maybe he’s going to die then, given the fact that there’s still no trace of his boyfriend. 

But he won’t let this fucking arsehole get away with thinking he’s a weak human and Lando has never had a big sense of self-preservation - hence the whole ‘dating and sleeping with a vampire’ thing. 

Fuck this shit. He’s pretty certain he’s going to die and it should scare him but he’s mostly pissed, anger taking over the fear for a moment and he takes a shaky breath, adrenaline shooting through his veins. 

He’s going to die but he won’t die quietly. 

“Like, well done, you can do some basic video editing, congrats - so does every twelve-year-old TikTok user.” Lando stares him down and Christian looks at him speechless. 

“You judge Charles and his family for trying to make the best of their immortality but what sad existence do you have? All you do is run around Europe and god knows where, looking for challenge after challenge after challenge and killing people but in the end, you’re all alone and you will forever be alone because no one wants to spend more time than necessary with such a despicable creature like you - not even your ‘travel companions’ like you. A bit sad, innit?”

Lando raises his eyebrows, heart beating fast in his chest and he screams when he’s suddenly thrown into another exhibition piece - his back collides with the exterior of the plexiglass and he hisses, grimacing in pain. 

There’s warm blood trickling down on his back, a piece bore into his lower back and it hurts like hell.

Maybe angering a vampire isn’t the best way to stay alive. 

Christian looks genuinely angry when he comes towards him and now the fear is back. Lando wishes he had kept his mouth shut when Christian squats down in front of him and he feels his throat tightening. 

All of his courage and braveness is gone when he sees Christian smile, white teeth reflecting in the barely lit room and Lando feels his throat tightening, tears coming back to his eyes. 

This was not the plan. This was not the plan, he was not supposed to die with 18, not by the hands of this arsehole and he chokes back a sob when Christian pulls him closer, pulling him on his lap, almost gentle. 

“You humans truly are interesting”, Christian murmurs and Lando weakly tries to fight, to escape his grip but Christian’s arms are like iron chains and his back is killing him. “You really think your words affect me, don’t you?” 

Lando’s brain is frozen in terror, staring at Christian - he wants to answer, talk back but he lost his voice, throat dry and tears are running down his cheeks. 

All he can think about is his Dad, his Papá and Charles and he closes his eyes, not wanting to see Christian’s black eyes any longer. He’s going to die and he prays Charles comes soon - or that he’s at least safe. 

“Let’s get this over with, shall we?”, Christian murmurs and Lando opens his eyes again, staring at him with a blank stare - he wants to fight, to scream, but his body isn’t reacting anymore, frozen in fear. 

Christian bends his neck, his grip still iron and Lando feels like he’s gonna pass out any second, his heart beating fast against his ribs and he can hear the blood rushing in his ears. 

He screams again when Christian bites down, it hurts, it hurts so fucking much and when he starts drinking Lando starts fighting against his grip again but it’s useless. Tears are running down his cheeks, he can feel himself getting weaker by every passing second and he screams again, praying for a miracle. 

His vision starts to get a bit blurry, he’s breathing rapidly and he starts sweating, blinking a few times to stay conscious. He feels sick, his lower back and legs numb and he fights against the blackness, his mind trying to defeat the drowsiness. 

God, he prays Charles shows up soon. 

**CHARLES**

“I can’t believe we lost him!” Charles hits frustrated against one of the trees around him, the tree falling with a loud crack and Nico sighs, massaging his temples. “Let’s get back to Lewis - we still have to pack anyway. I organised the flight for tonight, there’s a house in the mountains just outside of Vancouver-“

They start running, Max and Dan quickly catching up to them, Nico still talking but Charles barely listens. His thoughts are with Lando and he prays he’s safe - safe and doesn’t do anything stupid. 

“We checked North towards Scotland but nothing”, Dan informs Nico and adds “Jev and Romain also didn’t see anything” when Nico nods. 

“Great”, Nico mumbles, sarcasm evident in his voice and they slow down when they’re in front of Lando’s house, Charles’ heart aching. He regrets bringing Lando to the football game and while Christian seems to have some history with Seb as well - it would’ve been easier to protect just Seb. 

An even playing field. 

They meet in front of Lando’s house, Lewis leaning against a street lamp, waiting for them and Charles checks on Jenson (he’s watching TV) before he joins the others. 

“There’s no sign of him anywhere”, Max announces, he sounds pissed and Lewis closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. 

“Fuck”, he mutters and Charles chews on his bottom lip. He told the others about what he saw in Christian’s mind about Seb, they all know he will go after him next and he hopes Kimi looks after both of them. 

“Alright, tomorrow-“ 

Lewis stops when his phone rings and he answers it with a short “Yes.” 

“Okay, promise me you won’t get mad”, they hear Seb’s voice at the other end of the line and Charles freezes, a cold feeling spreading through him. He exchanges a quick look with Dan but before he can ask, Seb keeps talking. 

“Lando is gone-“

“What do you mean ‘he’s _gone_ ’?!”, Charles interrupts him harshly, he has a hard time keeping his voice under control and only Dan’s hand on his shoulder stops him from taking the phone from Lewis. 

“I worded that wrong.” Seb groans, he definitely heard him and Charles grits his teeth. “Seb-”

“Christian called Lando”, they hear Kimi’s calm voice in the background and Charles freezes. 

“What did he want?” Lewis keeps his voice under control, sounding calm and Dan’s hand squeezes Charles’ shoulder a bit tighter - he looks as worried as all of them. 

“Tried convincing Lando that he has got his Papá - played some video or whatever.” Kimi snorts. “Anyway, thankfully Lando is a smart kid and immediately called his Papá’s boyfriend afterwards.” 

“Oh my god, thank fuck at least one of you two has some brain cells”, Max mumbles but Charles ignores him, staring at Lewis while the anxiety is slowly building up in him. 

Seb still said Lando is gone, which means- 

“Lando came up with the plan to go see him anyway so we can take him by surprise”, Kimi confirms his thoughts and Charles feels like someone punched him in the gut, all air getting knocked out of his chest. 

“And there go the brain cells”, Max mutters while Dan stares at Lewis. “Is he _insane_?! He’ll get himself killed-“

“He isn’t there yet”, Kimi interrupts him, he sounds way too calm for Charles’ liking, “but he said he’ll text us the location when he’s there - he knows we won’t take long to get him out of there.”

It’s dead silent after that and Charles growls when he reads Max’ thoughts.

_’It’s a smart plan.’_

“It isn’t!”, he hisses, pacing in circles around them. “He is a fucking bait, Christian will kill him- Kimi, get him the fuck back!” 

“I can’t - I don’t know where Christian is waiting for him.”

“How the _fuck_ could you agree to this, I trusted you to keep him safe, how-“ Charles shakes his head, panic spreading through him and he’s relieved when he hears Lewis’ thoughts, Lewis also worrying. “That’s incredibly risky, it’s all based on predictions and What If’s-“ 

“Seb had a vision that it works out”, Kimi interrupts him and Charles lowly growls. “Yeah but his visions change, he has been wrong before-“

“Charles, Lando was right when he said Christian won’t make another mistake like that - this is our only chance to protect Lando. And Seb”, Kimi quietly adds and Dan takes a deep breath. 

“This is a suicide mission”, he mumbles and Nico closes his eyes, looking worried. 

_’He’s going to die.’_

His thought feels like another punch in the gut and Charles swirls around, glaring at him. “Nico-“ 

His voice breaks and Lewis takes a deep breath. 

“We’re there in one hour”, he says curtly before he ends the phone call and not even a millisecond later they’re running, Charles in the front with Lewis. He doesn’t even pay attention to his surroundings, running is second nature to him - all he can think of is Lando. 

Stupid, brave, smart, idiotic Lando. 

He feels his heart break at the sheer thought of losing him and he runs even faster, jumping over a huge river, not even bothering if anyone sees them. They’re too fast for the humans anyway. 

God, he hopes Lando waits. Hopes their timing works and he can rip Christian’s head off while Lando is safe. He can’t lose him- 

Charles bites down hard on his bottom lip, not feeling any pain but it helps him to stay focused and he drowns out the worries and thoughts of his family. He needs to have a clear head and can’t get distracted. Can’t get overwhelmed with feelings. 

But god, this is such a stupid idea and to say he’s mad at Kimi and Seb for agreeing to this- to this suicide mission is an understatement. 

He runs faster than he ever did before and when they reach London, Charles jumps on top of the Grosvenor with one leap, entering through the door on the roof. He lived in London for years, spending days and nights exploring the city and he races through the different corridors. 

They’re lucky they’re not running into someone but frankly, Charles couldn’t care less and when they enter the hotel room, he’s nearly at Kimi’s throat - that is until Max and Dan hold him back. 

“How could you let him go, do you know how dangerous it- _stop influencing my mood_!” Charles glares at Kimi, his anger subduing a little and he tries fighting against his two brothers but Dan’s grip just tightens. 

“He will text us, Christian gave him a two-hour time limit”, Seb says quietly, he’s cuddled up next to Kimi on the sofa. “Said it’s not far from here by tube and he can hold him off for the time being.”

_’Because he knows Christian likes playing with his prey.’_

“Could you keep your thoughts to yourself?!”, Charles hisses, glaring at Max who just shrugs. “You know it’s true, you saw his mind, mate. He’s a sadistic arsehole, of course he’ll want to play.” 

“Oh my god”, Nico mutters, leaning against Lewis for support and Charles stops fighting against their grip, burying his face in his hands. 

“Why didn’t he tell you where he’s going, this is _insane_ -”

“He didn’t know, Christian told him to come to a certain location where he’d get more information”, Kimi interrupts him, pulling Seb closer, “and he knew if he told us after, you’d read Seb’s mind and immediately go looking for him - in the worst case appearing too early and Christian going back into hiding.” 

It makes sense and Charles hates it so much. 

The sheer thought of having Lando so close and so defenceless to Christian makes him sick to his stomach and he starts pacing, Dan and Max letting him go. He sees Seb’s vision in front of his eyes but he can’t connect the dots - moons, a dark room? 

It doesn’t make sense. 

The minutes tick by, he knows Seb texted Lando that they’re here - he should’ve sent them his location by now. And if he changed his mind he should’ve been back by now or called or- 

Charles checks his phone but Lando hasn’t been online and Seb told them Lando read his message. He saw it. 

The sitting around makes him go insane, he wants nothing more than to search the whole city but he knows that’s impossible. 

“Okay, something is wrong”, Charles says out loud what his whole family has been thinking the past five minutes and he swallows dryly. “What if Christian saw him on his phone, what if he-“ 

He stops talking, he doesn’t need to finish his sentence - his whole family is thinking it anyway. What if Lando is already dead. 

The thought makes Charles sick to his stomach, he feels cold and Lewis takes a deep breath. “Alright, what do we know? He’s not too far from here- can we catch his scent?” 

It’s still lingering in the hotel room, driving Charles crazy but Max shakes his head. “He probably took the tube, his scent mixed with the other humans and given the fact that Christian send him to another location first, it’s all over the place.” 

“We have to try, though!” Dan stares at them, running a hand through his dark curls. “Something with moons-“ 

Seb’s eyes become unfocused, hazy and Kimi squads down in front of him, studying him calmly. “What do you see?” 

Seb starts talking but Charles doesn’t listen, rather seeing the vision with Seb in his mind. It’s Lando, he’s standing next to- next to some space rocket?! Christian is there as well, an evil smirk on his face and the room takes form, high ceiling, quite dark- 

The vision is gone and Charles blinks, staring at the wall in front of him. The others are discussing it, still talking about the moon but that’s not what caught Charles’ attention. There’s only one building in the area that has space rockets, a museum maybe-

Science Museum. Space Exhibition. Lando said his Dads always took him there as a kid, even showed him pictures- 

“I know where he is”, he splutters, talking quicker than any human ever could, “Science Museum, Space Exhibition.” 

“Let’s fucking go.” 

They don’t waste more time, taking the way up - they’re less suspicious running and jumping over the roofs than taking the crowded streets and thankfully it's clouded today. 

Charles takes a millisecond orientating himself before he starts running, jumping on the roof of the next building and he prays they’re not too late. That Lando is still alive, that he somehow managed to hold Christian off longer than he needed to. 

But he knows they’re late. Knows they’re running out of time. Time. The only thing Charles thought he’d always have enough and he speeds up his pace, his family right next to him. 

He can’t lose Lando. Can’t lose the only person who made him feel alive since he died and he swallows dryly, a lump forming in his throat. The sheer thought of never seeing his smile again, his dimples, hearing him laugh- 

Running his hands through his dark, curly hair-

Touching him, kissing him. Hearing his heartbeat. It kills Charles, makes him run even faster and when he sees the familiar shape of the Natural History Museum appear in front of them he knows they’re close. 

He prays he came to the right conclusion - if they make a mistake this could literally cost Lando his life and he stops in front of the doors, hesitating. What if- 

And then he hears a blood-curdling scream from inside the building, too faint for human ears but Charles’ sensitive ears picked up on it immediately and his blood freezes in his veins. Lando. 

_’Level 0.’_

Charles doesn’t question why Dan knows where the Space Exhibition is, only following his lead and he kicks in the heavy doors, the sight in front of him making him stop dead in his tracks for a millisecond. 

Christian has Lando in his lap, mouth on his neck, feeding off him, the smell of blood filling the room, glass shattered around them and an inhuman growl leaves Charles’ throat before he’s next to him, forcefully ripping Christian away from Lando. 

He takes him by surprise, Christian’s back hitting the wall and as much as Charles wants to rip his head off- Lando is laying there, pale, bleeding and he knows Max, Dan and Kimi will take care of him. Lando needs him more right now. 

**LANDO**

He feels a bit like he’s floating, drifting in and out of consciousness. It’s weird- he feels cold, very cold, he’s shivering and like he lost every concept of time. He’s still in the Science Museum but the pain on his neck stopped, subduing a little. 

The pain on his back though still feels like hell. 

He feels dizzy, everything is spinning and he hears noises, seeing shapes of figures but they seem far away. He wants to call out to them, tell them to be careful but his throat is dry and he can’t form any words.

“Lando! Lando, no, baby, please-“ 

He knows that voice. He knows that voice and that familiar French accent and it’s enough to snap him out of the lethargy, his eyes focusing on the shape next to him for a moment. Tears spring to his eyes when he realises it’s actually Charles and he smiles weakly at him. 

He still feels like he’s dying but at least Charles is here. Charles is here, the person next to him is...Lewis and there’s Nico - that means Christian is gone. He hears a snapping sound in the back like something is breaking off, like bones breaking-

“Hey, Charlie”, he mumbles and Charles chokes back a sob, cradling him in his lap, hand going through his hair. “Lando, please- stay with me, _chéri_ -“

“I’m as cold as you”, Lando mumbles, his voice barely more than a whisper, eyes fluttering. “Very cold.” 

“He lost too much blood.” Lewis sounds alarmed and Charles’ eyes snap towards him, widening. “No!”

Something unspoken passes between them and Lando wants to call him out for it - it’s _rude_ \- but he’s so incredibly tired and he feels another set of cold hands on him.

“Stay with us, dear”, he hears Nico’s kind voice. “Please, Lando, stay with us, stay awake.” 

“Charles”, Lando croaks our and Charles’ golden eyes are back on him in an instant - he looks scared, Lando notices. He shouldn’t be scared. He’s okay, he’s safe, Dad and Papá are safe, Seb is safe. It’s all good. 

“I’m right here, baby”, Charles whispers.

“I love you”, Lando mumbles, blindly trying to reach for Charles’ hand - it costs him way too much effort. “So, so much. ‘m sorry for being an idiot.” 

Canada suddenly doesn’t sound too bad anymore. 

“I love you too, _chéri_.” Charles’ voice is thick with tears, pure desperation on his face and Lewis gently touches his shoulder. “Charles- he won’t survive this.”

“No! Lewis, I can’t-“

“Christian didn’t insert the venom, he just drank his blood, there’s also the wound on his back, destroying his spine - he _will die_ if you don’t do anything”, Lewis interrupts him and Lando watches them tiredly, Nico’s hands still supporting him, brushing through his hair. 

“‘s fine, baby.” Talking gets more and more exhausting and he frowns when he smells fire. God, he’s slowly going insane. “You were the best thing that has ever happened to me.” 

He gives Charles a weak smile and Charles chokes back a sob, grip around Lewis’ arm tightening. 

“Lewis-“ 

“Either you turn him or you let him die”, Lewis says, his voice calm, “but you have to make a choice. _Now_.” 

Charles stares at Lando, there are tears in his eyes and he takes a shaky breath, cradling Lando closer. 

“We’re here to support you, baby”, Nico whispers and Lewis comfortingly squeezes his hand. “You can do it, Charles.” 

Charles hesitates for another second and Lando blinks at him confused, his mind not catching up with the words anymore. He has no idea what’s happening but he’s in Charles’ arms so it’s okay. 

He has always felt safe in his arms. 

It’s a good place to die. 

Charles kisses him softly, their lips brushing lightly against each other and Lando smiles into the kiss, a sudden peace settling through him. It’s okay, Charles is here. 

“I’m so sorry, _chéri_ ”, Charles whispers, his voice thick with tears and before Lando even realises it, he bites down. 

Lando’s scream is the last thing he remembers before everything turns black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) 
> 
> if you've read the book/seen the movie you might notice the changes I made and I'm definitely curious to read what you guys think about it! 
> 
> can't believe we're already at chapter 15, jfc time flies 
> 
> all the love to all of you! 💛💛💛💛💛💛


	16. Chapter 16

His whole body feels like it’s on fire, the is pain unbearable and Lando wants to scream but he can’t, no sound coming out of his throat. It feels like fire is rushing through his veins, destroying everything that’s in its way and while he can still feel his heart beating- it’s weak.

It’s a weak heartbeat and Lando tries fighting the thing that’s spreading through his body, that’s killing him but he can’t get a hold of it and the pain is excruciating. It’s red, angry, he feels like he’s getting stabbed and run over by a bus at the same time and he just wants to scream. 

He’s hot, way too hot, thousands of needles piercing his skin, bones hurting, feeling like they’re breaking and his breathing is uneven, unstable, harsh. His heart is still holding on and Lando realises he can’t move. 

He has lost every concept of time and space, doesn’t know where he is - all he knows is that his body is on fire and he can’t move. 

His brain doesn’t give him the mercy of unconsciousness, he’s wide awake but everything in front of his eyes is black and for a second he imagines he hears faint voices in the back but he can’t place them, doesn’t recognise them. 

He feels like he’s completely cut off from everything, he doesn’t see, smell or hears anything. All he feels is the excruciating pain that keeps spreading through his chest, killing him slowly, making its way to the heart and Lando is afraid what will happen when it reaches it. 

He doesn’t want to die, not yet, not like this but then again death seems like the only relief and the desperation mixes with the panic, fear and pain. He somehow tries to fight the thing in his blood but it keeps going, the heat coming closer and closer to his heart, his heartbeat quickening in fear, his mind completely numb. 

It feels like he just fell from a skyscraper, meeting the concrete face front but at the same time, he feels like he is drowning, sinking into a never-ending black ocean while he’s still burning, the fire never stopping once, burning him alive. 

And then it reaches his heart, the pain intensifies and the panic threatens to overwhelm him - can you have a panic attack while you’re dying? 

Probably. 

His heart beats a few more time, fighting, trying to hold on and then it stops, the same moment the fire disappears, his body finally allowing him to slip into unconsciousness.

When he wakes up everything is too bright. Too bright, too loud and he blinks, slowly opening his eyes, staring at the white ceiling. 

It scares him a little that he’s able to make out every little crack in it, every dust particle floating around in the air and when he takes a deep breath, air flowing into his lungs - he realises he doesn’t need to breathe. 

It goes in, air swirling around but that’s it, the relief of breathing is gone. It helps him taste the air though, something- something stagnant with a mix of slightly cooler air from probably a window.

That makes him sit up straight, eyes flying open in panic and not a second later someone is by his side, pulling him into a tight hug. 

“Oh my fucking god, thank god”, the person mumbles, voice thick with tears and Lando needs a quarter of a second to realise that it’s Charles. He blinks, holding on to Charles, still breathing and he’s close to having a panic attack. 

Everything is so much more _intense_ , he can suddenly _smell_ Charles, see every fibre of his hoodie, hear a TV even though the one in here is switched off, hear the noise from outside, cars, humans and the panic threatens to overwhelm him when a wave of calmness washes over him and he looks up. 

Lewis, Nico, Kimi, Seb, Max and Dan are standing at the other end of the room, watching him with caution and Lando swallows dryly. He feels- there’s no pain, the fire is gone and the memories are slowly coming back. 

Science Museum. Christian. Blood. Fire. Pain. 

“Charles!”, he croaks out, burying his face in his T-Shirt, tears running down his cheeks and he hugs him tightly, Charles gasping. 

“Careful, baby, you’re stronger than me for a while now”, he murmurs, gently untangling himself and Lando bites his lips, carefully moving back. His hand touches Charles’ arm but he’s- he’s _warm_ , he’s not cold anymore and he tries to make sense of it all. 

“What- did you-“ He suddenly remembers that Christian bit him, that _Charles_ bit him and the panic is back, his eyes falling on his hands. His skin is flawless, a small scar he had since he was a child (he fell from his bike) disappeared and he stares at Charles’ immaculate face, looking for confirmation. 

“Yes, he turned you because you were dying.” Max’ dry voice makes him look up, but there’s the hint of a smile on his face and Lando‘s mind needs a moment to process everything.

Charles turned him. Charles turned him- that means he’s a fucking vampire. 

He jumps up so quickly it shouldn’t have been possible and he stares at the room, taking in every detail. It’s a bedroom, he was laying on a huge King-size bed before and the floor is carpet - he can see every little thread, every dust particle, a quid below the desk on the floor.

There’s a white-painted closet on the wall, two very soft looking armchairs next to it and behind the tall windows he sees the Thames and Tower Bridge - he can smell the water, hear it through the open window. He sees way further than what should be possible, spotting people hurrying along the streets, birds flying, a few young adults dancing and drinking on a boat that’s gliding along the Thames and everything is suddenly so much brighter. 

He feels like he’s seeing the world with completely new eyes and he slowly turns towards the others, Charles still sitting half-way on the bed. Before anyone can say something though Max is suddenly in front of him (Lando did see him coming this time though instead of the usual blur) and he pulls Lando into a tight hug. 

“Thank god, you’re okay”, he mumbles, his voice thick with emotions and Lando stares at him dumbfounded before he hugs him back, his throat tightening. Max- Max is _hugging_ him?!

“We were really worried about you”, Dan adds, wrapping his arms around them and Lewis smiles, slowly coming closer. 

“How are you feeling?”, he asks calmly and Lando blinks, trying to find words. 

“Confused”, he admits, “is Max okay?” 

“You dick.” Max actually laughs, a soft look in his golden eyes and Charles grins, pulling Lando on his lap. “Told you he’d come around. He was pretty worried about you.” 

“He’s part of the family”, Max grumbles, ramming his elbow into Charles’ side. “I never said I hated him - just...you know.” 

Lando can’t stop the warmth that’s spreading through him at Max’ comment and he takes a deep breath, letting the air stream into his lungs. He can single out different scents - Lewis’, Max’, Dan’s and, most importantly, Charles’. 

He can see everything incredibly clear, it feels like he sees all of them for the first time - they’re all so beautiful. Even more than before and he stares a little longer at Kimi, only now noticing the scars on his face and neck. 

He faintly remembers Kimi said something about a vampire army - how many vampires have tried killing him? And how many have died trying? Hundreds? Thousands? Lando swallows and his eyes fall back on his own skin - he paled a little. 

There’s no heartbeat which is a bit unsettling and Lando runs a hand through his hair, the curls still there, maybe a tiny bit longer but the gesture is familiar and he’s pretty sure Kimi is still using his gift to keep the situation under control, effectively stopping him from panicking. 

Speaking of Kimi- Lando’s eyes snap to Seb, staring at him - his body tenses, the fear is back. “Christian-“ 

“Don’t worry”, Kimi interrupts him with a smirk. “We took care of him.” 

“What happened?” Lando pulls his legs up, hugging his knees - he’s wearing dark skinny jeans that are not his own and a hoodie which definitely belongs to Charles and he tries to solely focus on his question, Dan, Max and Charles still around him. 

Everything else is still confusing and overwhelming and scary. 

“I ripped the bastard’s head off.” Max smirks, satisfied and Dan smiles grimly. “He was too surprised to see all of us show up to put up a decent fight. We burned the pieces.” 

“Nico and Charles got you out of there right after he bit you”, Lewis adds quietly, leaning against the wall. “The fire thankfully didn’t destroy anything important and I made a very generous, anonymous donation towards the museum.” 

“No one has any idea what happened.” Nico gives him a kind smile and walks over, his hand caressing Lando’s cheek. “And no one saw us.”

His touch is soft, gentle, his hand just as warm as the others and while Lando still feels like he’s panicking- it helps that he has the others around him. That Charles still has his arms around him, his hand soothingly running through his hair and Lando takes another shaky breath. 

He never knew the river stinks that much. 

“Where exactly am I?” He knows he’s in London but the flat isn’t familiar and Lewis smiles. “One of our apartments in the Financial District. It was easier to bring you here than all the way back to Brampton.” 

Brampton. Jenson. 

Lando’s eyes snap towards Charles and he nearly stumbles over his words.

“What about Jenson, is he- what day is it?! How long was I- was I-“ 

Burning, dying. 

“Three days, it’s Tuesday”, Seb says, settling on his other side and Lando blindly reaches for his phone, only realising now it isn’t there. “Where- I need to call him, he’s probably worried sick-“

“Shhh, it’s okay”, Charles whispers, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “Lewis took care of it.” 

Lando’s gaze falls on Lewis who gives him a kind smile. “I called him, told him I had the opportunity to take you to London for some exhibition.”

“What about school-“

“You just _died_ and you worry about school?!” Max stares at him incredulously and Dan grins. “Well one of us has to have his priorities sorted and worry about his future, Max.”

Max growls, pushing him from the bed, Dan just laughing and Lando keeps holding on to Charles’ hand, somehow trying to make sense of it. 

“But-“ 

He can’t see his Dad. He’s a _vampire_ , he would hurt him- but he _wants_ to see him, he misses him more than anything, he can’t break his heart- this was not the plan- 

“We’ll worry about it when we’re back home”, Lewis interrupts his thoughts, pushing himself off the wall. “We are driving back tonight.” 

He comes closer again, squatting down in front of him and his golden eyes look at him with worry. “Are you thirsty?” 

Now that he mentions it- the slight burning, that has been in his throat since he woke up, intensifies and Lando slowly nods, too scared to say something. How- they’re in the middle of London- 

“Here.” Kimi is back - Lando hasn’t even noticed him leaving -, he’s holding a cup in his hands and the smell is so strong that Lando feels himself grow restless but Charles’ grip around him tightens. 

“Bold of you to assume we don’t have any blood stored in our flats“, Seb says, the hint of a grin on his face but Lando is barely listening, all of his senses are directed on the cup in Kimi’s hands. 

“We’ll take you hunting later but we have to get out of the city and this will do”, Lewis explains, Dan slung an arm around Lando’s waist as well and Charles presses a soft kiss on his neck - it sends a spark down Lando’s spine, momentarily pulling him out of his blood haze. 

“You-“ 

Charles just winks at him and Lando wants to say something but then Kimi hands him the cup. 

“We all ate before and there’s more”, he says, his voice as raspy as always and Lando takes the cup with shaky hands, careful not to spill anything. 

The - still human - part of his brain tells him it’s disgusting. This is blood, he _hates_ blood, he fucking vomited the last time he smelled it, he’s not gonna fucking drink it- but it smells so good. So much better than in Biology all these months ago and his throat is burning really badly at this point. 

He stills feels ridiculous and he giggles nervously, hating himself but laughing is his way to cope and he careful lifts the cup, avoiding to look at the others. 

The second the blood touches his lips though he can’t stop. It’s soothing, warm, it’s warmth radiating through his body and he can feel himself relax, drinking every last drop - he’s still thirsty though. And it was quite a big cup. 

He slowly lowers it, fully aware that they’re all staring at him and he- he knows he would have blushed if he was still human. He bites his lips instead and Lewis gives him a comforting smile. “Better?”

“I’m still thirsty.” Lando avoids his eyes, feeling stupid but Charles presses a soft kiss on his cheek. 

“That’s normal, you’re a newborn”, he says quietly and Kimi disappears, bringing him another cup. 

It gets better after the fourth one and Lando takes a deep breath, the smell of blood filling the room. He feels oddly full but a bit more awake, like he’s in control of his actions and it helps that Charles is still running his hand through his hair, effectively giving him a head massage.

“So. Your plan.” Lewis raises his eyebrows, sitting down on one of the chairs and Lando knows he’d have blushed if he was still human. Lewis doesn’t look too happy and the others scatter around the room a bit more, giving him some space to- well, not to breathe but space and Charles pulls him back properly on his lap.

Every touch is so much stronger, so much more intense and Lando instinctively leans back, craving the intimacy. He still can’t believe he survived- wrong choice of words. He somehow _got away_ from Christian and while he’s still overwhelmed and scared and confused- at least he’s alive - dead - conscious - _existing_ and Charles didn’t abandon him. 

Speaking of that. 

“It was a good plan!”, Lando defends himself, chewing on his bottom lip. “It all worked out until- until you guys didn’t show up. I sent you my location!” 

“The message never went through”, Seb says quietly, “your phone had no reception.” 

That...explains a lot. 

Lando closes his eyes for a second when the memories of the museum come back, Christian, the pain and the smell of fire and he shivers, cuddling up closer to Charles. 

“But he’s dead”, he points out and Nico sighs. “Yeah. And you nearly died as well.” 

“Technically he did”, Dan points out and Kimi rolls his eyes. “Not helpful, Dan.” 

“But he’s gone, I’m safe, Seb is safe-“ 

Lando stops, his eyes flickering to Seb who gives him a soft smile. “Don’t worry about me, Lando. Really.” 

“It was still incredibly reckless”, Lewis says in a stern voice and Lando averts his eyes, trying not to feel too guilty. “I’m sorry, Lewis. Really.” 

He only realises now that he’s a part of their family now - that he has three Dads all of a sudden. Four with Nico and he inwardly shakes his head, somehow amused. 

It makes him think of his Papá and Jenson though and he hesitantly looks up. “Can I call my Dads? Just...to make sure they’re okay.”

Lewis hesitates but Nico nods, giving him a soft smile. “I think that’s actually a good idea. Maybe in the car when we’re on our way back?” 

“Yeah.” Lando returns his smile relieved, he feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders and Lewis nods. “Alright, let’s give you two some privacy. We’re driving in two hours.” 

They disappear, Lando hears the TV in the other room and when he turns to Charles, he takes a moment to just look at him. To take in the sharp cheekbones, the golden eyes, the dimples when he smiles.

The messy black hair, the bandana and the Balenciaga T-Shirt. The defined muscles, his immaculate features and he slowly lifts his hand, letting it trail over his cheek. 

“I really thought”, Charles’ voice breaks a little and he pulls him closer, “I really thought I had lost you there for a second.” 

There are tears in his eyes and Lando’s throat tightens. 

“I was ready to die”, he returns equally as quiet and he can feel Charles tense below him. 

“I’m so sorry”, Lando mumbles but Charles immediately shakes his head. “It was my fault, I should’ve never brought you to that goddamn game. Because of me, you’re- you’re like me.” 

His voice sounds pained and Lando sits up a little, staring at him incredulously. 

“Jesus Christ, Charles, stop the self-loathing! It wasn’t your fault, no one knew that fucker would show up and we talked about this - given, we said we wanted to wait four more years before you turn me but I’d rather be immortal now than dead forever, alright?”

Lando crosses his arms in front of his chest and Charles blinks, taken aback. “Okay, but-“

“It all played out the way it’s supposed to play out and we can’t change anything”, Lando adds, taking Charles’ hand again. “Yes, I’m terrified and yes, I have no idea what’s going to happen but for now all I want is to get back home.” 

And see his Dad but he knows that isn’t possible - at least not yet. 

“Don’t be afraid”, Charles mumbles, kissing him softly and when their lips touch, he feels the shivers running down his spine. Kissing Charles- he still loves him so much and Lando closes his eyes. 

Charles’ hand is on the back of his head, holding him close while he’s kissing him and Lando can’t get enough of it, feeling the energy pulsing through his veins. He may be technically dead but he has never felt more alive and he shifts his weight a little, feeling Charles’ dick through his sweatpants. 

Maybe this is the wrong time to think about sex. But then again, he had blood, they still have over one and a half hours, they- 

A small moan escapes his lips when Charles smirks and adjusts his position on his lap, hands on his hips and Lando bites his lip - he’s incredibly turned on. Especially now that he knows Charles doesn’t have to hold back anymore. 

“Alright, before you two start fucking now, let’s go.” Dan’s amused voice makes Lando flinch back, he didn’t notice he came in - too distracted by Charles and he is pretty sure it’s one of these moments he would have blushed. 

Charles growls lowly, clearly not happy about the interruption but Dan just laughs, ruffling his hair. “Yeah, yeah, very intimidating. Come on, we have a five-hour drive ahead of us.” 

“Why can’t we- you said we still have two hours!” Lando is pretty sure he’s pouting, Charles’ arms still around him but Dan smirks. “Yeah, but we didn’t know you’d immediately fuck.” 

“It’s just that you’re still in an apartment complex in the middle of London and you only had a bit of blood from a cup”, Lewis adds, joining them again. “You’re a newborn vampire, Lando - give yourself at least a night. I know you’re full of energy and want to get it out but you can do that later when Charles takes you hunting.”

“We’re doing what now?” Lando’s voice is a little hoarse and Dan smirks. “Max and I are taking you to Richmond Park, getting all cosy with a few deers.” 

Oh god. Lando feels a certain dread in his stomach at that thought and Charles runs his hand soothingly through his hair, pressing a soft kiss against his temple. 

“No worries, _chéri_ ”, he mumbles and Lando’s stomach eases at the familiar pet name, “I’ll be with you and defend you from any evil deers.” 

Lando slowly turns his head, narrowing his eyes while Dan chokes back his laughter, Lewis having a grin on his face and before Charles can react Lando has pushed him off the bed. 

He used a bit too much force though, underestimating his own power and Charles crashes into the closet, the doors breaking at the impact. 

“Oh my god, I’m _so_ sorry!” Lando jumps up again and rushes to Charles who just stares at him actually speechless and Dan bursts out laughing. Lando ignores him, frantically checking Charles over but Charles just shakes his head, a grin slowly spreading over his face. “Oh, baby.” 

He pulls him into a deep kiss and Lando relaxes, ignoring the splinters of wood - my god, he’s embarrassing. 

He pulls Charles up, Dan is still laughing and Lando glares at him, Lewis grinning. 

“I’m amazed how much you’re in control though, Lando”, he says, eyes turning serious. “Normally all newborns can think about is their thirst.” 

Well, now that he mentions it- 

Lando grimaces, swallowing dryly but it does nothing to quench the burning in his throat and Charles slips his arm around his waist, pulling him close. “We should go.” 

He exchanges a quick look with Lewis and Dan, both nodding and they head towards the door but when they pass the huge mirror, Lando freezes, staring at himself. 

Or rather, the person that’s supposed to be him. He does recognise himself of course but-

His skin is pale and flawless, no scar, no bruises left, his neck smooth when his hand goes over where Christian bit him and he involuntarily shivers. His hair is still a mess and curly, the same colour of chocolate brown like before and he freezes when he meets his own eyes in the mirror. 

They’re a deep, burgundy red and he gets shivers running down his spine, breath hitching in his throat. 

“My eyes-“ 

“Will turn gold with the animal blood in a few weeks, don’t worry”, Lewis reassures him and Charles presses another kiss on his cheek.

“ _Weeks_?!”, Lando squeaks, his voice suspiciously high and he swirls around, helplessly staring at Charles. “But-“

His Dad. His friends. His _life_ \- he’s close to panicking again and the others seem to notice it, Dan tensing. Is he scared he’s gonna snap? Attack one of them? 

Lando stares at them, caught up in his panic but then Charles pulls him into his arms, kissing him gently. 

“We’ll find a solution”, he murmurs, his thumb caressing his cheek. “Don’t worry.” 

A sudden wave of calmness washes over Lando again and he hears footsteps, Kimi showing up not even a second later in the doorway. 

“You’re alright, kid?”, he asks and Lando closes his eyes, focusing on the calmness and Charles’ arms around him. 

The smell of laundry detergent from his T-Shirt, the sound of the TV (it’s a football match, Lando can hear the commentators), Dan’s perfume and the Thames. 

There’s a faint heartbeat, it makes him nervous, restless and when he looks out of the window he sees a woman pass them below, talking on the phone.

“Let’s go”, Charles says, he’s suddenly way more serious than before and he leads Lando into a huge living room. The whole right wall is made out of windows, they have a breathtaking view over the river and Lando stops for a moment, taking in all the details he can suddenly see. 

He can even see the rustled feathers of the birds sitting on Tower Bridge and when he slowly turns around, the others are watching him amused. 

“Ready to go?”, Nico asks him with a kind smile, Lewis has an arm around him and Lando nods. “I think so.” 

He spots his backpack next to Seb on the floor and Max switches the TV off, gracefully rising from the sofa and stepping next to Dan. 

“We’ll drive ahead, let us know if you have any complications.” Lewis pulls his car keys from his pocket and heads for the door, stopping before he leaves, turning around one more time. 

“When you call your Dad tell him you got a bit sick and that you’ll be staying with us - some infect. Tell him I advised it, yeah?”

“Will do”, Lando mumbles and they leave the flat. The hallway is completely deserted and an elevator brings them into an underground car park. 

Lewis heads for the Mercedes G-Class, Seb and Kimi taking a Ferrari and Max smirks, leading them to a dark blue Aston Martin. It’s a different model to the one he drives in Brampton but he clearly seems to have a type and Lando slides next to Charles on the backseat. 

“How many cars do you actually own?”, he carefully asks and Dan laughs, putting a hand on Max’ thigh who’s driving. “Too many. Do you want a new one by the way?” 

“What?!” Lando stares at the back of Dan’s head while Max drives out on the busy streets. It’s dawning already and Max laughs while he speeds up a little. “Sorry, mate, but your car is a piece of crap.”

Lando is actually speechless and Charles snorts, he’s grinning and Lando turns to him, glaring at him. “Excuse you?”

“He’s right”, Charles says amused and Lando debates if he’s strong enough to push Charles out of the car (probably) and how mad Max would be that he damaged his door (very) when Dan keeps talking. 

“You’re part of the family, mate, money really isn’t an issue.” 

What- 

Right. Money. The thing that keeps the world going somehow. 

Lando didn’t even _think_ about that and he‘s suddenly incredibly insecure. He really doesn’t want to- 

“Lewis roughly has around £46 billion mate, don’t worry about it”, Max interrupts his thoughts and Lando blinks, actually speechless. “£46 _billion_?!” 

His voice is a little hoarse and Charles laughs. “Yeah. I mean, Seb can basically predict the stock market.” 

That is something Lando didn’t think about and he nods, his mouth dry. He leans against Charles, watching how London passes them - they’re soon out of the city, driving through Fulham before crossing the Thames. 

He can smell the fuel, the metal and it’s oddly calming - there’s nothing in here that triggers his thirst. Charles is still distracting him by having his hand on his thigh and Lando looks out of the window, watches how they pass hundreds of people, how the scenery changes.

It’s dark by now but he can see just as well as before, he feels even more comfortable and when Max parks the car, Charles doesn’t let go off his hand. 

“So what- how do we make sure there are no humans around?” Lando’s voice is barely a whisper, he doesn’t dare to breathe much and Max smirks. “Don’t worry, we’ll lead them away from you.” 

“How? Picking them up and placing them somewhere else?” Given, not his smartest idea but he’s a little bit stressed right now (he hears a few faint heartbeats and he’s not sure if they’re from the humans or animals) and while Dan laughs, Max rolls his eyes. 

“I can be quite charming, you know?” 

Lando wants to counter that but then Max gives him a breathtaking smile, unfolding his whole vampire charm on him and- look, he should be immune to that. He is a vampire himself now for fuck’s sake but Max’ smile, his golden eyes- 

“Oi, stop it!” Charles’ annoyed hiss makes Lando flinch and when he looks up, Max is still smirking. That bastard. 

Dan just grins, easily slipping his arm around Max’ waist and presses a soft kiss against his cheek. “No one said ever anything else, grumpy cat.” Max looks like he wants to argue but then just rolls his eyes and shakes his head annoyed. 

“Anyway, we’ll take care of the humans, you go have fun. Enjoy.” Max winks at him before Dan and he disappear and Lando swallows dryly. He’s not sure if he can- 

“I like deers”, he whispers and Charles grins. “Yeah, they’re alright but I prefer bears or wolves. A bit more of a challenge.” 

“No, I mean- they’re cute, Charles. I’m not sure if I can kill them.” Lando chews on his bottom lip, feeling absolutely ridiculous while Charles leads him further into the dark park. 

“Don’t worry”, Charles murmurs, voice low and Lando gets shivers from it. “Your instincts will take over. Killing isn’t that hard.” 

Lando swallows again but there’s the faint heartbeat and he stops, standing completely still. He hears a few birds, the rustling of the wind, a few footsteps. And the faint heartbeat. 

He closes his eyes, allowing himself to take a deep breath. The cold night air fills his lungs and Lando needs a moment, overwhelmed with all the different scents. Fresh air, the smog from the city, all the different animals, the water. 

He’s still holding on to Charles’ hand, careful not to squeeze it too hard and he singles out a rich scent, something sweet, warm but musky and sharp. 

It makes his throat burn again and when he opens his eyes he sees that Charles is watching him with a smirk. “Good?”

“I...guess.” Lando breathes again, the scent filling his nose and he manages to single out a direction. “North of the Pen Ponds?”

“Very good.” Charles gives him an encouraging smile, he’s still just wearing a T-Shirt and some sweatpants and Lando takes a step forward. 

He feels the power in his limbs, his muscles, vibrating to get unleashed and he looks back at Charles, hesitant. “What if I hit a tree?” 

Charles starts laughing and Lando narrows his eyes, debating if he should throw him in the lake when Charles takes his hand, pulling him along in an inhuman speed. 

It should be as fast and dangerous and intoxicating as Lando remembers it - except that he sees every tree, every stone, wind rushing past them and before he knows it they crossed the whole park. 

He’s not even out of breath and Lando turns to Charles, staring at him with wide eyes, excitement and adrenaline flowing through his veins and he can’t hold back the huge grin spreading over his face. 

“That was so cool, can we do that again?!” He beams at him, feeling oddly alive and Charles laughs. “We have all the time in the world, _chéri_. But we still need to hunt.” 

“Right.” Lando bites his bottom lip, locating the heartbeat pretty quickly. He starts moving again, quieter this time - he doesn’t even hear his own footsteps. He knows Charles is right behind him but Lando doesn’t care - that intoxicating scent is back and his eyes roam over the clearing in front of them. 

He spots seven deers below a few trees and he sneaks closer, his eyes focused on the animals. He can feel the warmth coming from them and takes another deep breath before he jumps. 

He’s taken aback by his own force and he leaps towards one of the deers, arms wrapping around its neck before it even realises he’s here. The deer makes a scared noise but it has no chance against his strong grip. 

Lando bites down easily over the precise point where the heat flow concentrates and his body immediately relaxes when the blood starts flowing. The flavour is similar to the one he had in the flat, rich, warm and soothing the burning in his throat immensely. 

The deer’s struggle grows weaker and weaker, it's finished before Lando is and he drinks it dry, letting the carcass drop to the floor.

He moves back, staring at the mess he made and he bites his lips when he realises that he has blood on his hoodie. Charles’ hoodie. Whatever. 

He looks up to sees Charles leaning against one of the trees, arms crossed in front of his chest, an amused smirk on his face and Lando smiles nervously. “Okay?” 

“Never thought I would get turned on by seeing you drink the blood of a deer”, Charles comments nonchalantly and Lando stares at him before he starts laughing. 

He’s in front of him in milliseconds, kissing him passionately and he grins when he feels Charles’ lick over some leftover drops of the blood from his lips. 

“So it was good?”, he asks again just to make sure and Charles laugh. “Yeah. You want some more?” 

“Yeah.” He’s not even ashamed about admitting it and Charles grins. “Good, because I’m hungry.” 

They hunt two more deers, Charles way more graceful than Lando, not spilling a single drop and when they’re done, Lando feels full, warm. He laces their fingers together while they walk back to the car, slowly, taking their time and Lando looks at the stars above them. 

They’re beautiful, it’s a clear night and he still feels so goddamn alive. 

“Can I ask you something?”, he starts when they’re just a few hundred meters away from the car and Charles turns towards him, a questioning look in his eyes. “Sure?”

“When...you bit me. In the museum. How did my blood taste? Was it as good as you expected it to be?” He chews on his bottom lip while Charles stops dead in his tracks, hesitating. 

“Even better”, he whispers, a guilty look in his eyes and Lando quietly hugs him, holding him close. They will still need a few months if not years to get over what happened that night and Charles kisses him gently before they walk back to the car. 

“How was it?” Dan is leaning next to Max against the Aston Martin, a grin on his face and Lando really misses his ability to blush. He steps a bit closer to Charles and hides his hands in sweater paws while Charles just grins. “Good, really good. A bit messy but weren’t we all.” 

His eyes fall on Dan who just raises his hands defensively and Max smirks. “Oh, absolutely.” 

Something unspoken passes between them before Charles grimaces and pulls Lando next to him in the car. “Ew, Max, I don’t want to know about your sex life!” 

Dan starts laughing while Max slides on the driver’s seat, grinning. Lando shakes his head amused, cuddling into Charles’ side. “Your own fault for reading his mind all the time.” 

“I’m not doing it on purpose, he’s just a really _loud_ thinker!”

“That isn’t the only thing he’s loud at.”

“Dan!” Charles glares at him, groaning and Lando smiles while Max drives out of London. 

It’s still a bit odd how well Max and he seem to get along now, how accepting Max seems to be but Lando definitely won’t complain. He likes him and he pulls his phone from his pocket, hesitating. “Can I call my Dad?” 

“Sure, just don’t forget what Lewis said.” Dan gives him a smile in the rearview mirror and Lando nods, moving a bit away from Charles before calling. 

“Lando? Are you alright?” His Dad sounds sleepy and Lando only realises now that it’s past midnight already - he doesn’t feel tired at all. But he also knows vampires don’t need sleep. They do rest from time to time, some kind of meditation to calm their mind and give themselves breaks but they don’t need to sleep and Lando clears his throat. 

“Yeah, don’t worry. Charles and I are on our way back home but I’ll be staying with Charles for a while, I”, he fakes a cough, glad they don’t do a video chat, “got some virus or infection, I don’t know. Lewis said I should stay with them so he can keep an eye on it.” 

It’s quiet for a moment and Lando hates that he has to lie to him. 

“Alright, and Lewis said that?” Jenson sounds a bit more awake now and Lando nods quickly, forgetting that Jenson can’t see him. “Yes. I’ll stay in contact though.” 

“Okay, I trust you, dear. How are you feeling?” Jenson sounds concerned and Lando’s throat tightens a bit. “Tired.”

“I’ll let you be then, maybe you can catch some sleep in the car. Look after yourself, yeah? And call me tomorrow.”

“I will, thanks, Dad. Love you.” The last part slips out before he can think about it but when he looks up the others are not paying him any attention, Charles playing with his fingers.

“Love you too, Lando. Sleep well.”

Jenson hangs up and Lando releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding. That’s one problem solved and he cuddles up closer to Charles again, resting his head against his chest while the street lights pass them. 

He feels like crying but he can worry about everything else tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty friends, I am going a bit off the book/movie now so I'm really curious what you think! 💛
> 
> Also, thank you again for all your support and love for this fic. I definitely do not take it for granted and I appreciate every single comment, Kudo or hit on this fic. You all are amazing 💛
> 
> Have a lovely Tuesday, see you Thursday 💛


	17. Chapter 17

Seeing the familiar shape of the buildings in Brampton again is oddly calming and Lando follows Charles into the house, taking everything in with big eyes. 

He’s still not over the fact that he sees everything so much sharper now, that his senses are so much more enhanced (even though he _knew_ this was going to happen) and after dropping his backpack in Charles’ room they meet with the others in the front room. 

Charles pulls Lando on his lap, Max and Dan are sprawled out on the other sofa and Lewis pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Alright, there are quite a few topics we have to discuss. First of all: what we do about your summer term.” His eyes fall on Lando and Lando swallows dryly. “I mean-“

“You can’t go”, Lewis interrupts him and Lando stares at him. “But what about my friends? I have to finish school, how should I go to university without-“

He stops when he realises what he just said and Nico gives him a soft smile. “You wanna go to uni?” 

“Yes”, Lando whispers, suddenly very insecure. Crowds intimidate him but- he doesn’t want to hide. 

“I need to tell my Dad something, I can’t break his heart.” From the corner of his eyes, he sees Max nod and Lewis seems to think about it. “It’s dangerous-“ 

“Can’t we train my self-control?” Lando gives him a pleading look and sitting up a bit straighter. “Can’t we, I don’t know, make me somehow immune to the smell of human blood?”

“You’ll never be immune to the smell of human blood”, Dan throws in, giving him a wry smile. “That just doesn’t happen.” 

It’s quiet for a moment and Lando plays with the strings of his hoodie before he jumps up, pacing through the room. He’s way faster than he should be but- 

He can’t just leave his friends and Dad behind. This is not what he wanted. The plan was to wait a few years so they could prepare everything. 

“What if- what if I fake an illness for the first few weeks of summer term?”, he suggests, running a hand through his hair. “And if it all works well I go back and finish summer term and then there’s the break before the next year starts anyway!” 

Lewis seems to genuinely think about his proposal and it means the world to Lando - he knew he could rely on Lewis. 

“He might be onto something here, Lewis”, Kimi throws in and Seb nods. “I didn’t have any visions about bloodbaths at school.” 

He winks at Lando and Lewis frowns. “We could say you have a glandular fever - staying home for three weeks. But what about your Dad?” 

“I’ll handle that.” Lando exhales, massaging his temples and swallows dryly. “He trusts you, right? I mean- I mean I can’t go back home.” 

He’s torn about this. He loves his Dad, loves living with him but he also loves being with Charles and the prospect of seeing him every day, every night- he gives Charles a small smile and Nico pushes himself off the wall. 

“I think Lewis can figure something out with your Dad”, he says calmly and Kimi nods. “He’s a good guy, you know? He trusts all of us.” 

“So I can go back to school?”, Lando asks hesitantly and Max groans, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe you worry about school.” 

“Told you he’s a baby.” Dan grins and out of habit Lando flips him off - freezing immediately when he realises it. He knows Dan won’t mind but _in front of his Dads_ -

But then Lewis and Nico start laughing and Charles grins. 

“Leave my boyfriend alone, Ricciardo.” He watches Lando with an amused expression on his face, dimples showing and when Lando looks at him, his dead heart skips a beat, his stomach fluttering. 

It’s strange - Charles said that newborns can only think about blood and blood only. But he seems to be doing fairly well and that gives him hope for school and his Dad.

“Nah.” Dan lazily runs a hand through his hair, still grinning and he gets up, seizing Lando with a sceptical expression in his eyes. “I wanna see how strong he really is.” 

“Yes, let’s test his strength!” Seb jumps up, an excited spark in his eyes and Lewis laughs. “Alright. Can you read his mind by now, Charles?” 

“No.” Charles crosses his arms in front of his chest, pouting. “I thought that with him being a vampire now- and then when he woke up there was nothing. And I waited because I thought ‘maybe it needs time’ but there’s still nothing. I’m disappointed.” 

“Oh thank fuck”, Lando mumbles, he completely forgot about it and Max grins. “Lucky bastard.” 

“But you can see him, Seb, right?” Lewis turns to Seb who nods. “Yeah. Always have and still can.” 

“Peachy, can we go out now?” Dan gives them an impatient look, a grin on his face and Kimi shrugs. “Sure.” 

He steps towards the window before he jumps out, Nico and Seb following him and Lando completely forgot that they’re on the first floor. 

“Shouldn’t we take the door?”, he asks hesitantly and Max smirks. “Why, are you scared?” 

“Maybe.” Lando gives him a defensive look, stepping closer to the open window and looking down. 

It’s quite high, at least three meters and he doesn’t know if it’s safe - especially because the stones below him look quite sharp.

“Don’t worry, _chéri_ , it’s super easy and- MAX!”

Lando screams when Max just pushes him out of the window, preparing himself (irrationally) to break some bones but the second his feet leave the ground he feels like he’s floating. 

The ground is coming closer, yes, but way slower than he expected it - enough time for him to actually coordinate his feet. He can see every obstacle on the ground, every root - it’s as easy as walking but the adrenaline is still rushing through his body and Lando lands rather gracefully, without stumbling or tripping. 

He stands still for a second, just taking a deep breath (he’s pretty sure he’s traumatised for life- his existence now) before a huge grin spreads over his face. The adrenaline is still rushing through his veins and he turns around to yell at Max (he still _pushed_ him) but his boyfriend is already doing that for him. 

“You can’t just push him out of the window, you dick!”

“You pushed me from the roof after I got turned so I would get over my fear!” 

“So you wait 95 years to get revenge on my _boyfriend_?!”

“Yeah.”

“Petty bitch.” Charles snorts, giving Max a shove and Lando freezes, for a second fearing- but Max lands next to Lando, just as gracefully as the others and he smirks. “That’s all you can do, Leclerc?” 

“Fuck you.” Charles narrows his eyes and Dan, who watched them with an amused grin, shakes his head before he jumps as well, landing gracefully like a cat next to them. 

“Idiots. Alrighty, ever punched a tree?” He turns towards him and when Lando shakes his head, Dan’s grin widens. “Peachy.” 

He turns to one of the tall tans next to them, punching it hard and Lando watches amazed how it falls on the floor with a loud thump. 

“Holy shit”, he mumbles and Seb grins. “We are all kind of equally strong - except Dan who is a bit stronger.”

“And you for a few months”, Lewis adds, giving him a small smile. “Newborn vampires are incredibly strong, it wears off after a while.” 

“You want to try and break the trunk?”, Dan asks and Lando nods, slowly stepping closer. It looks impossible but when he lays his hands on it and adds a bit of force he can feel the wood splintering below his palms. He stares at the tree in awe, trying even more force and not even a second later the tree snaps in a half. 

“Oh my god that’s so cool”, he whispers, his eyes shining with excitement and he looks at the other trees surrounding the house. He takes an - unnecessary - deep breath before he runs towards one of them, ripping it down and he laughs when he can hear it crack. 

He does the same with the next three trees and only when he hears the others laugh he whirls around, embarrassed. Oops.

“Cute”, Max comments dryly and Seb grins. “Not to kill your fun but I think Nico is actually quite fond of the trees around the house.” 

“Sorry.” Lando bites his lip, grinning and Dan gives him a challenging look. “Remember our hiking trips?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Think you can climb that tree on your own?” 

“Do I fucking look like it?”, Lando counters and quickly takes a step back when Dan comes closer, a grin on his face. “Just jump and then hold on to the first thing you reach.” 

He winks at him before he pushes himself off the ground, gracefully (and quietly) landing on a branch ten meters above the ground. 

“It helps you with hunting as well”, Max adds, joining his boyfriend with one elegant leap. “And it’s way more fun.” 

“Come on, _chéri_.” Charles kisses him with a soft smile before he looks up to his (well, now probably _their_ ) brothers. “I’ve got you.” He winks at him and Lando smiles back, taking a step back before he jumps. 

He uses too much force again, getting way higher than Dan and Max and he desperately clings onto the first branch he reaches. His stomach drops a little when he looks down and he freezes when he realises that he has to go down again somehow. 

But then Charles is next to him, sliding an arm around his waist and Lando relaxes a little, taking a deep breath. They’re so high that he can see the town in the back and he smiles, taking in the scenery in front of him. 

It’s a breathtaking view, he sees even further than before and he takes a picture with his phone - he doubts he’ll ever get enough of that. Charles presses a kiss on his temple, arm around his neck and Lando’s smile widens.

They could also just spend eternity up here, right? He doesn’t get cold, doesn’t need a toilet, sleep...given, feeding could become a bit of a problem (the burning in his throat is back again the second he thinks about it and Lando curses himself) but maybe Seb or Kimi can bring it up? 

But getting a dead deer up here seems a little complicated. Maybe they could use cups again-

“Ready to go down?”, Charles gently interrupts his thoughts and Lando gives him a nervous look, smiling tentatively. “Not really.” 

“Don’t worry, it’s a lot of fun! And Max isn’t here to push you.” 

“We can change that”, they hear Max’ voice from below and while Lando tenses, Charles rolls his eyes. “Shut up, Max!”

“Fuck you, too!”

“Anyway”, Charles turns back to Lando, giving him a comforting smile. “It will be fine, I promise. You won’t get hurt and in the worst-case Kimi or Seb will definitely catch you. I wouldn’t rely on Max though.” 

“Rude, Charles!” They can hear Max laugh and Lando takes a deep breath, looking down. The ground seems incredibly far away suddenly and his human brain is fighting against his vampire brain. 

Rationally he knows he’ll be fine. He’s a vampire now, immortal and all that shit - he should be fine. He might trip and Max and Dan will laugh at him but that will be it. 

The other side of his brain, the human part, yells at him if he’s insane and that he maybe should rather call the fire brigade to get him down here. 

Before had been different - it was just one floor and even though Lando would never admit it: Max’ push helped him immensely. 

“You sure they’ll catch me?”, he asks Charles, his voice insecure and his boyfriend nods, kissing him. “Yep.”

“Okay.” Lando adjusts himself a little on the branch, moving forward and Charles gives him an encouraging smile. “It takes a while to get used to it, don’t worry.” 

“Mhm.” Lando stares at the ground before he takes another deep breath, takes all his courage and pushes himself off the branch, letting himself fall. The ground comes closer, a bit faster than before but still manageable, adrenaline rushing through his body and Lando escapes a laugh. 

The wind rushes past him but he still feels in full control, seeing every stone, every little twig on the ground and he lands gracefully on his feet, needing a moment to ground himself. 

The whole thing couldn’t have taken longer than five seconds and he grins proudly when Charles lands next to him, elegant like a cat. 

“How was that??”, he asks excitedly and Kimi smirks. “Really well done.” 

“Yeah, we can work on your aesthetic during falling but apart from that...” Charles smirks and Lando stares at him for a moment, offended before he punches him (gently) against the arm. 

“Dick.”

“Do you want to do some arm wrestling against me, Lando?”, Dan asks a spark in his eyes and Lando eyes him sceptically. “Why would I?” 

His eyes fall on Dan’s biceps and Charles smirks. “Because you’re stronger than all of us right now and could definitely kick his ass.”

“I doubt it”, Dan throws in, a shit-eating grin on his face and Lando bites his lips. What bad could come from it? Well, apart from embarrassing himself more than he already did. 

“Fine.” He takes a deep breath (he needs to work on those habits) and Dan’s grin widens. “Peachy.” 

Kimi gets them an old tree trunk and Lando sits down on the one side, hesitantly taking Dan’s big hand. 

Max and Charles are leaning against two trees, watching them with a grin and Seb nods. “Alright, go.” 

Dan immediately starts pushing and Lando, out of shock, gives in a few centimetres before he fights back - and realises he actually has a chance. He can feel the strength running through his veins and he pushes back, slowly but steadily turning Dan’s arm. 

Dan stares at him shocked, Charles cheering him on while Max snorts. “You could at least put some effort into this, babe.” 

“I _am_!”, Dan defends himself and Lando starts grinning, pushing him down with all his force. 

“Oh my god, did you see that?!” He turns to Charles with an excited look on his face and Charles grins. “Yeah, I did and I’m very proud of you.” 

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” Dan winks at Lando, ruffling his hair and Lando squeaks, Max rolling his eyes. 

“Does anyone else wants to?” Lando excitedly looks at them, he can’t believe he just beat _Dan_ at arm wrestling and Kimi gives him a rare smile. “Alright, let’s do this.” 

He has absolutely no chance though and Lando shakes his head fascinated, staring at his arm. It looks the same like before, maybe a bit more muscular and he really can’t believe it. He was the guy who normally always needed someone else to open the goddamn jar for him and this feels fucking good. 

He beats Seb and Max as well before he looks at Charles, a huge grin on his face. 

“You want to as well?”

“I know you’re stronger than me, baby.” Charles laughs and Lando rolls his eyes while Max mumbles a “coward” under his breath. 

Charles ignores him and they spend the rest of the day testing out Lando’s strength, running around the forest, jumping over rivers and Lando is pretty sure he never had that much fun in his life. Or existence. Or whatever. They hunt another deer during the day, Kimi and Dan making sure no lost hikers get in their way and when they come back home later that night, Nico and Lewis are already waiting for them. 

“Did you have a good day?”, Nico asks while putting a vase with fresh flowers on the table and Lando nods, curling up next to Charles on the sofa - Max is watching some football match while being on Dan’s lap. 

Seb and Kimi disappeared, they said something about going on a more ‘extensive’ hunting trip to Scotland (Charles mumbled something about them just getting away to fuck) and they’d be back in a few days. 

“I still need to call the FIA”, Lewis mumbles, looking up from the MacBook on his knees and while Charles slightly tenses, Lando frowns. “What do they have to do with that?” 

“The FIA keeps an eye on everything that’s happening in our world - and while they may not care that we turned another vampire, they will care about what happened with Christian in London”, Lewis explains, getting up. “I’m right back.” 

He leaves the room and not soon after Lando can hear him talk on the phone but he’s too far away to catch what the person on the other end of the line is saying. 

Lewis sums up the events in London but Lando notices he twists his story a little, only mentioning that Christian went after Seb and not Lando - to be honest, he leaves Lando out completely and only mentions him at the end. 

“We also turned another one- yes. Yeah.” Lewis stays quiet for a moment and Charles’ arms tighten around his waist, Lando throwing him a confused look. “What?”

“Of course, Sir.” Lewis ends the call, he’s back in the front room just a second later, exchanging one look with Charles and Lando wants to ask (really, it’s rude, can’t they just-) when Nico steps forward, hugging Lewis from behind.

“What did Masi say?” 

“They’re gonna send someone, to make sure everything is under control”, Charles answers for Lewis, his grip still tight. “Taking a look at Lando and questioning Lewis about Christian.” 

“Thanks, Charles”, Lewis says with a wry smile, running a hand through his braids. “If we’re lucky they’re sending Senna. If we’re unlucky, they’re sending Villeneuve.” 

“Why?” Lando frowns, adjusting himself a little and Max snorts. “Because Lewis is friends with Senna - the guy’s an angel - and Villeneuve is a cunt. And he can’t stand Lewis.” 

“It will be fine, as long as we don’t mention that Charles has had a relationship with a human.” Lewis stares out of the window and Nico presses a kiss to his temple. 

“They won’t hurt Lando, he’s one of us”, he says quietly and while Lando tenses ( _what_ ) Lewis sighs. “I know. But I know Villeneuve and his fucking gift of hurting people with one look into their eyes.” 

“‘Fuck the FIA’, as Jev would say now”, Dan mutters and Lando takes a deep breath. “Who’s Jev and why would Villen- that guy hurt me?” 

“Jev is a friend of mine.” Dan smiles, running a hand through his hair, pulling Max a bit closer. “He lives in Edinburgh with his boyfriend and Romain’s clan. And hates the FIA which, in my opinion, is totally valid.” 

He grins and Lewis nods, giving Lando a long look. “And Villeneuve is just...”

“A sadistic cunt”, Max finishes dryly. “When are they coming?”

“Tomorrow morning, they won’t need too long from Paris”, Lewis mumbles. “Get some rest before that, it will be fine.”

Charles and Lando disappear upstairs soon after, Lando still thinking about what the others said about the FIA when he joins Charles in bed. He doesn’t feel tired at all which is strange, his body not showing any signs of exhaustion and Charles pulls him in his arms. 

“Sorry for pulling you into all of this”, he mumbles, “and if it’s really Villeneuve and he really hurts you I’m gonna kill him.” 

Lando isn’t sure if killing an FIA Official is the best solution to that but he still feels a warmth spreading through him at Charles’ words and he puts his head against Charles’ chest. 

“Shouldn’t I do it, I’m stronger than you after all...” He trails off but it has the desired effect, Charles staring at him. “Oi, only for like half a year or so!” 

“Still half a year in which I can finally kick your ass.” Lando grins and Charles glares at him, poking his ribs - Lando barely feels it. “Don’t get cocky now, this doesn’t mean you get to top.” 

“No?” Lando gives him an innocent look and Charles’ eyes darken visibly. “No.” 

He switches them in a second, pinning him down and Lando stares up at him, his breathing quickened out of habit.

They stare at each other and Lando uses the moment to simply take everything in. He can still hear the football match downstairs, the murmur of voices but the longer he stares at Charles, the easier it gets to blend them out. 

He can taste the air, taste _Charles_ \- every other scent is suddenly unimportant. There are hundreds if not thousands of scents in the house and its surroundings but again: Charles helps him to focus and Lando leans up, capturing their lips together. 

Charles immediately kisses him back, passionately and deeply, pushing him down into the pillows and Lando moans, completely forgetting that they’re not alone in the house. And that they can all hear them. 

Everything is suddenly so much more intense, Charles’ skin soft, smooth, his grip so much stronger than before and Lando realises how much he actually held back. 

“Fuck”, he mutters when Charles starts pressing soft kisses on his neck, licking and nipping on the skin without really hurting him, “ _fuck_!”

Lando pushes his hips up, trying to get some friction but Charles pins him down again, a smirk on his face. 

“I’m not going to fuck you tonight-“ 

“Rude.” 

“Because we don’t know when the guy from the FIA will arrive-“ 

“That’s homophobic.”

“And I’m not sure if I could stop once I started touching you. But if you ask nicely, I’ll give you a blowjob”, Charles finishes and Lando grins, kissing him. 

“I would really, really like a blowjob”, he mumbles against his lips, pushing his hips up once more. “Please, Charles?” 

He gives him his best puppy eyes and Charles smirks, finger trailing from Lando’s cheek over his neck. Lando’s breath hitches in his throat (old habits die hard, he muses) and Charles’ eyes are sparkling. 

“How could I ever resist you”, he mumbles with a low voice, his hand dipping below the waistband of Lando’s skinny jeans. “But you have to get out of these pants for me, _chéri_ , can you do that? Can you be a good boy for me?”

Lando is pretty sure he never got rid of his clothes faster and Charles’ smirk widens - bastard. Lando pulls him into another kiss, shamelessly moaning when Charles’ hand ghosts over his painfully hard dick - everything is so much _more_. 

He feels so much more, Charles’ strong hands still holding him down and Lando doesn’t care that he could easily overpower him - he doesn’t want to. Especially not when Charles goes down on him, taking him fully into his mouth and Lando moans again, hand gripping the sheets. 

“Holy _shit_!” He whimpers when Charles teases the head with his tongue, that fucking incredibly skilled tongue and he can feel and hear Charles laugh quietly. 

“I love that you’re just as responsive as before”, he murmurs, giving his dick a long lick. “My god, I can‘t get enough of you.” 

He takes him in fully and Lando moans, his brain registering he’s crumbling the sheets with his hand and he throws his head back. 

He can’t believe he missed out on this, he feels so goddamn _alive_ which is probably the irony of the century and the warmth that’s spreading through him, the sparks running down his spine, the heat pooling in his stomach, the sweet sensation of being so close to coming - it’s so much better than everything Lando has ever experienced. 

His hand finds its way in Charles’ messy hair, pulling a little, but careful not to hurt him and he doesn’t need much longer, not when Charles is doing _that_ with his tongue. 

He cums with a loud moan, spilling into Charles’ mouth and he blinks a few times, pretty sure he blacked out even though he knows that’s technically impossible. He’s still not exhausted but he feels so much calmer suddenly, the post-orgasm bliss spreading through his veins and he gives Charles (who swallowed everything) a small smile. 

“Thank you”, he whispers and Charles grins before he gets rid of his own clothes and slides next to him under the covers. “Anything for you, _mon amour_.” 

Lando’s smile widens at the pet name, his heart overflowing with love and he cuddles up, taking a deep breath. The whole room smells like sex and Charles, so much more intense but it has an oddly calming influence on him. 

“So what do you do when you don’t have to sleep?”, he asks and Charles laughs. “We normally busy ourselves or we simply rest - doing some mediation and slipping in some kind of trance to shut up the mind. It would be a nightmare to separate the days from each other otherwise.” 

“Okay.” Lando closes his eyes and his mind wanders back to the meditation guide he picked up in that bookstore in Newcastle a few months ago - it feels like it was from a different lifetime. 

He didn’t necessarily look at the book but he did skim through it and he forces himself to slowly fall into some kind of meditation. 

He doesn’t know how long he stays like that but when he opens his eyes again the sun is already rising and his mind feels oddly calm. Peaceful. Refreshed. 

“Morning.” Charles gives him a crooked grin, handing him some clothes and Lando smiles sheepishly. “Hey.” 

They take a shower (individually, Lando knows they don’t have much time and he doubts he could keep his hands off Charles and vice versa) before they get dressed and when they come downstairs, Dan grins at them. 

“Had a good night?” He winks at him and Lando sheepishly bites his lip. He genuinely forgot they could all hear him. 

“Yeah, thanks, was pretty amazing and yours?” Charles steps up behind him, slinging his arm around his shoulder and giving Dan a relaxed grin, not looking embarrassed at all. 

Before he can answer though Lewis comes into the front room, giving them all a serious look. 

“You all ready?”, he asks, his voice is calm and when they nod, he gives them a small smile. “Good. Lando”, he turns towards him, “no matter what happens, always tell the truth. Again, I don’t know who they’re sending but they’ll know when you lie so just ... don’t. You can leave things out but don’t lie to them.”

“Okay”, Lando whispers, he’s a little bit relieved - he’s never been good at lying and Lewis turns to Max and Dan. 

“You two: no cocky comments, understood? We’re already in enough trouble as it is, so behave. The same goes for you.” His eyes fall on Charles and Max looks like he wants to argue but then Nico steps up behind them and nods. 

“Behave, boys.” 

“Yes, Dad”, Max grumbles, clearly annoyed and Lando holds back a smile. The mood is tense but Lando feels a bit calmer knowing he has his family around him and they don’t have to wait long - five minutes longer until his nose catches an unknown scent and Charles takes his hand. 

“Coulthard”, Lewis mumbles, Lando has no idea if that’s a good sign or not but before he can ask someone rings the doorbell and not a second after Nico comes back with a man in tow. 

Lando quickly looks him up and down and he tries his best to not flinch when he feels the vampire’s red eyes on him. He’s taller than Lewis, his face a bit more square, wearing a dark blue suit jacket and he flashes them a smile. 

“Lewis, it’s been a while.” He has a Scottish accent, Lando notices and Coulthard pulls Lewis into a quick half-hug, Lando relaxing a little - he can’t be that bad when he hugs him, right? 

“David.” Lando doesn’t know if Lewis’ smile is genuine or not but he looks a bit more relaxed than half an hour ago and David runs a hand through his short hair after he greeted Nico equally friendly, eyes wandering over them. 

“Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc, good to see you again. And you must be the new vampire Lewis turned, right?” His eyes are focused on Lando and Lewis nods. “Yeah but Charles turned him.” 

“Oh?” David’s eyes fall on their joined hands and a small smile appears on his face. “I see.” 

Lando doesn’t dare to say anything, he’s quite intimidated and Lewis nods towards the sofa. “Do you want to take a seat or should we take this to my office?” 

“I’m fine with doing this here, to be honest.” David looks still completely relaxed and he sits down on the white sofa, the others scattering around them, Lando staying close to Charles. 

He doesn’t trust David, not yet and he looks at the others, trying to somehow read the mood - he misses Kimi. Dan looks just as relaxed as David while Max has a Pokerface, clearly not trusting David. Nico is smiling, sitting on the side of Lewis’ armchair and Charles slings an arm around Lando’s waist, pulling him closer. 

He doesn’t look too tense and that gives Lando hope. 

“So I think you know why I’m here”, David starts and Lewis nods, expression serious. “Of course. Christian.” 

“Yes. I don’t mind a dead vampire and, to be fair, he was a bit of a cunt so I’m sure he had it coming but we need to get to the bottom of this - I’m sure you’ll understand.” 

David’s voice is still light, friendly but there’s a subtle order in his voice and Lewis nods again. “Of course. I don’t know how much you knew about Christian but he had some history with one of the people from my family - Sebastian.”

“Oh, the blonde kid, right? Where is he?” David’s eyes wander through the room and Lewis clears his throat. “On a hunting trip in Scotland. Kimi is with him.” 

“Alright, and what has all of that to do with a fire in the Science Museum in London?”

“Christian was in our territory for quite a while and he heard us play football - he was curious and paid us a visit”, Lewis explains calmly. “He recognised Seb and well, he’s a tracker - and Seb was the only prey that ever escaped him.”

“Interesting”, David mumbles, eyes focused on Lewis. “So he wanted to finish what he started?” 

“Yes. Seb and Kimi went to London to escape him and we fought Christian there.” 

He’s not lying, Lando realises - he just leaves out a whole junk of information but David nods, seemingly satisfied. 

“Alright, and I saw you handled it already, Lewis so that shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll tell Masi.” He gets up and Lewis hesitates. 

“He was the one who killed Michael, David”, he says quietly. “Charles saw it in his mind.”

David freezes, it’s dead silent for a second and Lando watches the emotions wash over David’s face - anger, pain, hurt, grief, sadness. He has himself under control pretty quickly after that though, only nodding and forcing himself to smile. 

“Thanks for telling me. And for taking care of that arsehole.” 

“Of course. Do you need anything else?” Lewis has a compassionate expression on his face and Lando has the feeling that there’s a lot more going on than what they let show. David just shakes his head, squeezing Lewis’ shoulder. 

“No. You handled the situation accordingly and I’ll tell that Masi as well. Good luck in training your newborn.” His eyes fall on Lando and he smirks. “You’re all still on your weird animal blood diet?”

“Yeah.” Lewis’ smile gets a bit more tight-lipped and David shrugs, heading towards the door. “I’m not judging, just finding it a little bit weird restricting yourself like that. Anyway.” 

He opens the front door, his eyes wandering over them one last time. “Take care.” 

He disappears in the woods and Lewis stays quiet for a whole minute, Lando just staying next to Charles and holding on to his hand. He has no idea if this went well or not and when Lewis finally turns around, there’s a relieved look on his face. 

“That went better than I thought it would”, he mumbles, looking at Charles. “What did he think?” 

“I mean, he knows you can’t lie to him.” Charles has a wry smile on his face and shrugs. “He doesn’t mind that we turned Lando and he definitely doesn’t give a shit about Christian. Well played mentioning Michael.” 

“Thought it would be useful.” Lewis sighs and pulls Nico closer, Lando frowning. “What do you mean ‘he knows you can’t lie to him’?” 

“David has a gift.” Dan gives him a crooked grin, running a hand through his dark curls. “You can’t lie to him, it’s impossible - he’ll know if you do. Which makes him very useful for the FIA, of course.” 

“Oh god”, Lando mumbles, chewing on his bottom lip. “So- what is his history with Michael?”

“We ask ourselves that for decades already.” Max smirks, pulling his legs up and Nico gives them a sad smile. “They were close - really close. I met Michael once before, he was really nice.“ 

He stares at a few pictures of Seb and Kimi with them that are hanging over the chimney and Lewis clears his throat, his hand going through Nico’s hair. “When he was killed- we didn’t know who did it and of course we didn’t know Seb at this point. David was furious, searching all of Europe but never found out who did it.” 

“The poor guy”, Lando mumbles, feeling incredibly sorry all of sudden for him. He can only imagine how hard it must have been and Nico nods. 

“I’m surprised David didn’t know about Seb”, he looks to Charles who nods, confirming his statement, “but I guess that’s because Michael and he always had a few differences. Mostly how they view humans.” 

“David works for the FIA, all humans are to him is a food source”, Lewis adds, “Michael has always been a bit kinder - hence that’s why he probably worked in that asylum in the first place.” 

It’s quiet after that, everyone lost in their own thoughts and Lando stares out of the window. He knows there’s a lot more history between all of them and the FIA than he can grasp at this moment and he barely scratched the surface. 

He feels sorry for Michael, sorry for David and he’s still incredibly relieved that Christian is gone. He got what he deserved and he leans against Charles, absentmindedly running his fingers through his black, messy hair. 

“So they just accepted that you turned me?”, he asks and Lewis shrugs. “To be honest, we - or rather other clans - turn people quite often - we have to keep our numbers up after all.” 

“And David knows there’s something between us but he figured I just- did it against your will.” Charles sounds pissed and Lewis sighs. “You know how the FIA is, Charles. They don’t understand and never will.” 

“They’re corrupt bastards”, Dan comments dryly. “Easily satisfied as long as they have money and think they’re in control, have power.” 

“And that’s why they’ll get some money from me and that should end the whole thing permanently.” Lewis gets up, giving them one last smile before Lando hears him in his office. 

“You wanna get out, do a bit of running?”, Charles asks and Lando nods, Max and Dan joining them - Nico stayed behind with Lewis. 

They spend the morning in the forest, distracting him from the FIA situation and Lando laughs when he falls (he doesn’t want to say ‘jump’) from another tall tree, trying to somehow land gracefully. 

It’s getting a bit better, he’s slowly overcoming his fear and Max shakes his head, lifting his cap to run a hand through his hair. “Seriously, you need to be faster if you ever wanna beat Charles.” 

“Hey, I’m trying, it’s-“ Lando freezes when a smell hits his nose, the others stopping dead in their tracks as well and before Lando knows it, Charles, Dan and Max are next to him, a defensive expression on their face. 

“What-“ Lando frowns, it smells a bit like a wet dog and he scrunches his nose, eyes wandering over the woods. There’s a heartbeat but stronger than the one from a deer and he tenses, instinctively taking Charles’ hand. A wolf? He shouldn’t be scared of a wolf but- 

He swallows dryly when he sees Carlos appear behind a few trees, coming towards them with an absolute murderous expression on his face and Lando presses himself a little bit closer to Charles. 

Carlos is shirtless, Lando has never seen him angrier and he’s suddenly incredibly scared of him. A growl escapes Max’ throat, he looks just as pissed, but Carlos ignores him - his eyes are fixed on Lando. 

“What the _fuck_ did they do to you?!” He’s seething, dark brown eyes burning holes into Lando and Charles narrows his eyes. “You’re on our territory, dog.” 

“Shut the fuck up, Leclerc, I am not talking to you.” Carlos doesn’t even look at him, he’s in front of Lando now and Lando swallows dryly. This is still Carlos - he won’t hurt him, right? 

He looks angry but they’re friends- were friends - childhood friends - whatever - and he steps forward, ignoring the warning look Dan gives him. 

“What do you mean?”, Lando asks him quietly, proud that his voice isn’t shaking. Carlos sneers, eyes travelling over his body and he shakes his head in disbelief. “Do you think I’m stupid?!”

“Actually yes”, Max mutters but stays quiet when Dan puts a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back a little. Carlos ignores him, still looking at Lando and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“It wasn’t planned”, he starts, not sure what exactly he’s doing here. “We wanted to wait a few more years but I nearly died-“

“Oh, so he nearly killed you while fucking you and had to turn you because he couldn’t control himself?!” Carlos’ voice is getting louder and Dan growls lowly, Charles tensing. 

“Shut the fuck up, what is your problem?!” Lando stares at Carlos, actually surprised by his own boldness but he’s so done. Can’t he just _listen_ -

“My problem”, Carlos says quietly, a threatening undertone in his voice and he steps forward, standing directly in front of Lando now, “is that Leclerc killed you. Turned you.”

“Yeah, but it was because I nearly died! Which wasn’t his fault, he saved me!” 

“And what about Jenson, Lando? What will you tell your Dad?!” 

“I will handle it, that’s none of your business! Why do you care?!” Lando glares at him and Carlos looks at him, his brown eyes cold. 

“I care because your _boyfriend_ ”, he spits out the word, “turned you into a fucking bloodsucker. Which is against the treaty.”

“Technically speaking though, Charles turned him in London”, Dan points out, a smirk on his face, “and that isn’t your territory.”

Carlos stares at him for a second, clearly speechless before he snorts. “It doesn’t fucking _matter_! Lando is a resident of Brampton-“ 

“Technically speaking”, Lando starts quietly, his voice hoarse, “my first permanent residence is still in Madrid. I didn’t change it in the beginning because I wasn’t sure if I stayed in Brampton and then I forgot to change it.” 

It’s dead silent after that, Carlos looks like he’s ready to rip his head off and from the corner of his eyes Lando sees Max and Charles smirk. 

“And if you touch him”, Max says, a dangerous undertone in his voice, “you’ll regret it.” 

“He’s part of our family”, Dan adds, crossing his arms in front of his chest, “which makes him a part of the treaty.” 

He nearly spits out the last word and Charles nods, slinging an arm around Lando’s waist. “Touch him and I’ll rip your heart out.” 

Carlos stares at them, shaking his head incredulously. “You won’t get away with this, fucking leech!”, he hisses before he turns around and Lando steps forward, ignoring the warning looks of the others. 

“Carlos, wait!” 

Carlos stops and before Lando knows it he turns into a huge brown wolf, growling at him. Lando flinches back and the wolf growls at him again before he disappears in the forest, soft paws on the ground. 

“Fuck”, Lando whispers and Max growls. “Fucking dogs, I swear to god.”

“Let’s get back, we have to tell Lewis”, Dan says and they run back to the house, Lando not letting go off Charles’ hand once. 

Lewis and Nico are in the front room, talking but both looking up with a concerned expression in their eyes when they see them all burst in. 

“What happened?”

“We might have run into a very angry dog”, Max grumbles, falling on the sofa. “That bastard Sainz found out that Lando is a vampire now.” 

“Fucking great”, Lewis mutters, massaging his temples. “Did you do anything stupid?” 

Lando isn’t sure what exactly he means with that but Charles, Max and Dan all look annoyed and shake their heads. 

“Of course not”, Charles says, rolling his eyes. “But I was close.” 

“Did he says anything important? Or did he just yell at you?” Nico raises his eyebrows and Lando shrugs helplessly. “Said we’ll regret this but that’s it.” 

“I doubt he’ll go to the FIA, they’ll kill him the second he steps into Paris”, Dan adds. “And I doubt he’ll kill Lando.” 

“Nah, he won’t he loves him.” Charles smirks and Lando nudges him with his elbow, ignoring the incredulous looks of the others. “I told you to stop spilling people’s secrets!” 

Charles looks like he wants to say something but then Lewis’ phone rings.

“Seb, are you okay?”

“Did you run into Carlos?!” Seb sounds stressed and Lando is amazed how clear he can hear him - it’s as if he’s standing in the room with them and Lewis frowns. “Lando did, together with Charles, Dan and Max, I thought you can’t see the wolves-“ 

“I can’t but that bastard called Jenson and told him he should show up here”, Seb interrupts him and while Lando freezes, Max growls. “Fucking dick!” 

“What, how-“

“Said there’s something he might want to see regarding his son”, Seb adds. “The vision I had was about the phone call and Jenson is already on his way.”

It’s quiet for a second before Max swears loudly in Dutch, Charles shaking his head. “We need to tell him to get back home, Lewis-“ 

“I can’t that would only make it more suspicious”, Lewis interrupts him, he looks tense and paces through the room. “I can’t believe this, that he puts us at such risk-“ 

“What should we do?”, Nico asks quietly and Lewis sighs. “We can’t do much. Only hope for the best.”

That he doesn’t kill his own Dad. Lando feels sick and he wishes he could just pass out and pretend he doesn’t exist. He fees his throat tighten, the panic building up and Nico disappears into the kitchen, coming back with a big cup. 

The smell of blood immediately fills the room and Nico hands him the mug. 

“Drink that”, he orders and Lando downs it without question. “We can also still disappear if you want that.” 

“I-“ Lando stares at them helplessly, completely overwhelmed with the situation. His brain is working, trying to come up with a solution and he takes a deep breath, downing the second cup Nico kindly brought him. 

“I wanna try”, he whispers. “Is there a way- can you make sure- I can’t lose my Dad.” His voice is hoarse and Charles nods. “Of course, we’re just one room away.” 

“You’ve done so well until now”, Lewis adds, giving him a calming smile. “Really. But we might have to give you a few lessons in behaving human.” 

“What do you mean? It’s been literally just a few days since I’ve been human, what-“

“Maybe start with breathing continuously”, Dan interrupts him amused. “Humans are a bit disturbed if you don’t do that.” 

“And move slow”, Max adds. “No zooming across the room, you have to walk slowly.” 

“Breathing might be the hardest part”, Charles mumbles and he kisses Lando softly. “But you can do this. If we didn’t know you could we would leave this minute.” 

“Also sit down when he does”, Nico adds. “Humans don’t like standing too long. And don’t sit too still. And put those in.” He hands him some contacts and Lando carefully puts one on his finger, placing it over his right eyeball.

There’s a film over his vision, he can see through but he doesn’t like it and he blinks a few times before he adds the other one. He checks his eyes in the front camera of his phone and raises his eyebrows when his eyes are a muddy brown. 

“Let your eyes wander every thirty seconds as well and cross your legs from time to time, switch to your ankle as well”, Lewis says and Lando nods, putting his phone back and trying to remember all their suggestions. 

“And don’t forget to blink at least three times every minute!” Charles stares at him and Lando looks back confused - did he unconsciously do all these things when he was still human? When did he _stop_ doing all of that?! 

“I-“ Lando stares at him but then he hears a car and his heart- it should’ve been hammering by now. It makes him a little bit anxious that his body stopped doing all of this, doesn’t have the right reactions and Charles pulls him on the sofa. 

“Stay here, we’ll get him”, he quietly says before he kisses him one more time and Lando nods - he hears a car coming closer and closer. It’s the one from Jenson, he _knows_ it’s his and Dan pulls Max into the next room. 

Lewis switches on the TV, it’s some rerun of the Great British Bake-Off and the background noise helps Lando to focus. 

“Let’s do this”, Lewis mumbles when they hear Jenson exit the car and when he rings the doorbell, Charles quietly disappears from the room. 

Lando chews on his bottom lip, inhaling one last deep breath before Lewis opens the door with a warm smile. “Jenson, hey, what a surprise!” 

“I- Dr Hamilton, hi. Carlos Sainz Jr called me, said I should stop by. That it’s important.” Jenson looks nearly apologetic when he smiles at him and Lando stares at him, missing his father more than anything else at that moment. 

He still isn’t breathing, holding in his breath and Lewis nods. “Alright, I’m not sure what he means but if you’re already here you can check on Lando if you want to.” 

Jenson’s eyes visibly light up at that and Lando’s stomach churns - fucking Carlos. 

“If it’s no trouble.”

“Absolutely not.” Lewis leads him into the front room and Lando gives him a small smile, trying to not breathe just yet. 

“Lando!” Jenson’s eyes widen when he sees him and he comes closer, a concerned expression on his face. “Kid, are you okay?” 

“Yeah. Hi Dad.” His voice sounds presses and he sees Lewis and Nico leave, giving them some privacy. Lando tries his best not to breathe and Jenson swallows dryly. “You look...different. Paler.” 

“I know but I’m fine.” And there goes his air. Lando closes his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to focus and then he breathes in. 

Jenson’s scent hits him like a truck, sweet and delicious and his throat immediately starts burning. Lando swallows dryly, his grip around the sofa tightening. 

This is his father. 

“I’m okay”, he says quietly, remembering to cross his legs and he blinks. “Just...a lot happened but I’m okay. Just a little different.” 

Jenson still watches him carefully but he nods - he seems to know that there’s more going on that Lando tells him but he doesn’t seem to mind. 

“It’s not drugs, though?!”, he asks, his voice suddenly alarmed. “Charles didn’t force you to take any drugs??” 

Lando stares at him, so shocked he actually forgets the burning in his throat for a second. He hears someone laugh hysterically from the room above them which sounds like Dan and Lando frantically shakes his heads. 

“No, Dad, oh my _god_ , do you know who his father is- _I would never_!” He glares at him and a small smile appears on Jenson’s face. “Alright, just making sure kid. You’re safe here, right?” 

“I am”, Lando whispers, throat tightening again. “And maybe there wasn’t an infection and- I still need to figure some shit out. Do you trust me?” 

Jenson looks at him, deep in thoughts and Lando tries ignoring the thirst. Jenson’s heartbeat is taunting, mocking him, he radiates warmth and Lando grits his teeth, forcing himself to push these thoughts away. 

This is his _Dad_. The person he loves more than anyone else in the world next to Charles and his Papá. 

“Okay”, Jenson eventually says, taking his hand, only dropping the blanket from the sofa over him when he feels how cold his skin is. “I’m just glad you’re okay, kid - Carlos said- I don’t know what he wanted, really.” 

He frowns and Lando scoffs. “Carlos is a dick.”

Jenson just laughs at that, his eyes crinkling like they always do. 

And then he leans forward, hugging him and Lando freezes, stops breathing and he sees Lewis’ panicked expression behind his Dad’s back - he didn’t hear him come back inside but to be fair, he has been a bit distracted. 

But this is his Dad. His Dad who loves him so much and put up with so much shit and Lando wraps his arms around him, careful to not squish him, hugging him back and for a moment the thirst is overruled by the love he has for his Dad. 

He has always felt safe in his arms, the scent turning from taunting and mocking to comforting for just a moment and Lando holds back the tears, his throat tight.

Jenson presses a kiss against his temple before he pulls back, a small smile on his face. “I love you, you know that, right?” 

“I do.” Lando’s voice is hoarse and Jenson’s smile widens. “Good. Do you know when you’re coming back home?” 

“I- I wanna stay with Charles”, Lando whispers, not sure how to bring that up. Sure, he’s 18 but what if his Dad is offended- 

“You know how teenagers are, Jenson”, Lewis throws in, stepping forward and Lando gives him a relieved look. “All in love, always wanting to be together. We really don’t mind having Lando around.” 

“You sure?” Jenson frowns, eyes wandering from Lando to Lewis but Lewis just nods. “Absolutely. We love him and he’s good for Charles.” 

“I’ll still be in Brampton, Dad”, Lando reminds him softly. “Always visiting you.” 

“I hope you do - I’m not sure your Papá would agree that I let you move in with your boyfriend and his family after half a year.” 

There’s a grin showing on Jenson’s face and Lando can’t stop himself from grinning back. “That’s why you’re the Cool Dad. Don’t tell Papá I said that.”

“I would never.” Jenson laughs, running a hand through his hair and he looks back at Lewis. “Dr Hamilton-“

“Please, call me Lewis”, Lewis interrupts him, offering him a charming smile and Jenson actually _blushes_ \- Lando has to look away, the thirst is back full force. 

“ _Lewis_ , thank you for taking care of my son.” Jenson smiles before he looks back at Lando. “Call me?”

“Of course.” Lando’s voice is way too high, breathing getting harder again but Jenson doesn’t seem to notice - or he simply chose to ignore it. 

He leaves and Lando exhales when he hears the car drive away, taking a deep breath. The others are back in seconds, Charles tackling him full force, his eyes shining. “I’m so proud of you!” 

He kisses him deeply and Lando smiles weakly, feeling incredibly exhausted - mentally. 

“You did amazing”, Nico says and Dan nods. “That was impressive, man.”

“I’ve never seen a newborn with so much self-control.” Lewis shakes his head amazed and Charles hugs him tightly. “You’re special.” 

“Thanks”, Lando mumbles and he gives Max a relieved smile when he wordlessly hands him another mug with blood. It helps against the burning in his throat and he leans against Charles, closing his eyes. 

At least he solved the part with Jenson. And by god does he want to murder Carlos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosely inspired by Breaking Dawn lmao 
> 
> I think this is the longest chapter of the fic so far with quite some stuff happening but :') I hope you liked seeing more of vampire Lando 
> 
> two chapters left, I'm not okay 
> 
> See you all on Saturday 💛💛💛💛💛💛


	18. Chapter 18

He pretends to be sick for the first three weeks of summer term, just dropping George, Alex and Sacha a quick message in the group chat - no need to take unnecessary risks. His self-control _is_ really good though and he slowly gets a grip of how to actually handle his new body. 

Max, Charles and Nico take him grocery shopping at the Tesco in Carlisle so they don’t run into any people from school and while it’s hard, Lando manages. He’s confused and slightly overwhelmed with all the different scents, clinging to Charles and Max, his throat burning but it gets easier. 

He needs to feed a bit more often than the others but Charles takes him hunting all over the United Kingdom and Lando slowly gets used to it. 

Today’s his first day of summer term after training with mostly Lewis and Nico for the past three weeks (the others went to school) and he’s nervous when he gets out of Charles’ Ferrari, backpack slung over his shoulder. 

The parking lot is crowded and he sees people staring but he tries to ignore the anxiety, following Charles to the entrance, his boyfriend having one arm around his neck. 

“It’s going to be fine”, Charles whispers and Lando nods, taking a deep breath. He got used to smelling humans everywhere and it’s okay so far. It’s okay, really-

“Lando!” He hears George before he sees him and not two seconds later his three best friends are hugging him tightly. 

“Mate, we missed you, are you okay?”, Alex says, apparently not caring about his cold skin and Sacha nods worriedly. “You literally just disappeared, mate!” 

Lando blinks confused, Charles tensed a little next to him but Lando is...he’s okay. Really. They smell good, of course they do but- they’re his _friends_. His friends who don’t seem to care that he looks a little different and he clears his throat, smiling tentatively. 

“I was sick”, he mumbles, sheepishly running a hand through his hair. “Glandular fever.” 

“Eww”, George comments, pulling a face and Sacha swallows dryly, eyes roaming over him. He looks mostly concerned, Lando notices. 

“But you’re okay? And hi Charles.” Sacha blushes a little while Charles just grins (he kept his distance from them to not spoil anything) and Lando nods, taking another, careful breath. Everything is intense and overwhelming but he’s- he’s okay. 

“Lovely, I’m gonna kidnap your boyfriend now though, Charles”, George throws in, putting his arm around Lando’s neck and easily pulling him along, Lando too overwhelmed to actually resist. He exchanges one last look with Charles and gives him a reassuring smile, trying not to breathe too much with George so close. 

He smells good, really good and he’s so _warm_ , his heartbeat so close- 

‘He’s your friend, get it together!’, he chides himself but he’s still relieved when George lets go of him when they reach their classroom. 

“You didn’t miss much, to be honest”, George tells him while they sit down, unpacking their things. “I can explain you the stuff we did over Discord tonight if you want though?” 

Charles and the others already kept him up to date with school work but Lando nods, a small smile spreading over his face. 

“Yeah, that would be cool. Sorry I just disappeared like that.” He bites his bottom lip but George just shrugs, lowering his voice when Mr Wolff enters the classroom. 

“We worried about you mate but my uncle had a glandular fever once and that shit is nasty. It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” He comfortingly pats his back and Lando nods, trying to focus on his Maths class. It works semi-well, his brain might be smarter now but that doesn’t seem to apply for Maths and he kind of regrets telling Lewis he wants to finish school. 

But he needs his A-Levels and all he wanted was some normality back. 

It’s nice though, bantering with George while barely listening to Mr Wolff and while Maths is still boring and horrible and he may wants to kill half of the class including his best friend next to him - it’s okay. 

Alex is already waiting for him with bright eyes, pulling him next to him on their seats in the back while Ms Williams lets the class discuss their new book (they’re actually reading Pride and Prejudice now) and Lando tries to ignore all the different heartbeats. 

“What did I miss?”, he murmurs to Alex to distract himself. “Are George and you still...” 

“Yeah, no worries, mate.” Alex gives him a reassuring smile, leaning back in his chair. “We’re happy. Are _you_ okay? What’s with you and Charles?” 

“We’re fine - his Dad helped me with the illness.” Lando forces himself to smile while Alex nods understandingly. “Must have been horrible. I’m just glad you’re back - we missed you.” 

He squeezes his shoulder before he quickly looks at his book when Ms Williams looks in their direction and Lando blinks, warmth spreading through him. 

They genuinely _missed_ him?! 

It means the world to Lando that they just accept his excuse, trusting him so much that they’re not even questioning what happened to him and he nearly feels bad for lying to them. 

But he knows it’s better this way, the last thing he wants is to endanger is friends and he flicks a page in his book, Alex quietly updating him about the school gossip. 

Apparently Mick and Callum got their shit together, going to the Dance at the end of term with each other and Lando freezes - he completely forgot about that. 

“Are you going?”, Alex asks him after their class, walking down the hallway together and Lando helplessly shrugs, kinda wishing Charles would be here. 

He’s still a bit restless, uneasy even but he knows that this is his test - if he makes it through the term (and the next year) he can go to uni with Charles. He can have some level of independence and as much as he loves Nico and Lewis and their house - he really doesn’t want to spend the next few years there. 

The burning in his throat is annoying and distracting and when Sacha hugs him again before they sit down- it’s tempting. But this is _Sacha_ and he won’t kill one of his best friends. 

He will go to uni and he has always loved doing things just out of spite. 

Spanish is a bit more relaxed, mostly because his brain doesn’t have to work that hard on what they’re doing and Sacha and he spend the time whispering about the new Fortnite feature that dropped last month. 

It’s easy and Charles picks him up from class, leaning against the wall across the door, Lando gives him a small smile, cuddling into his side. Sacha waves at him, he looked genuinely happy to also see Charles again (or rather, Charles paying them attention again) and they make their way to lunch. 

Lando braces himself when they enter the cafeteria, Charles’ arm around him tightening a little and he avoids breathing at first. It’s _loud_ , way louder than before and he realises he can actually hear every single person in the room - even the staff who’s handing out the food. 

Charles leads him to their usual table and Lando gives Max, Dan, Seb and Kimi a small smile when they pass them, relieved when he feels Kimi sending him some calmness. He can do this. 

Charles got them some food and Lando eyes it sceptically, not too convinced. He has tried a few things before, eating the leftovers Nico still had at home (no need to waste them, really) but they really taste like...nothing. 

A bit like meringue, just without the sweetness and he takes a bite of his sandwich, hesitantly chewing. It’s not as bad as Max made it out to be but it’s still weird and Alex throws him a concerned look. “You okay, mate?”

“Just...tired”, Lando mumbles. “And I still have to be a bit careful with what I eat.” 

“Dad gave me this for you, it’s some special vitamin drink.” Charles puts a cup on the table, it has a lid so you can’t see what’s inside and Lando stares at him, actually speechless. 

He knows its blood, can smell it now that he- but-

“You should rather drink that then than eat the unhealthy shit we get here”, George points out and Sacha nods. “As long as you feel better.” 

Lando swallows hard, genuinely touched by his friends’ worry (and Lewis’ concern) and he hesitantly takes a sip, immediately relaxing when the blood soothes the burning in his throat. 

“What is it?”, George asks curiously. “Smells a bit iron-like.”

“Something with berries, I have a bit of an iron deficiency.” Lando doesn’t know since when lying became so easy and he hears Dan laugh in the back, mumbling a “good one”. 

He doesn’t turn around, George just nods and Alex switches the topic while Lando is still a bit out of it. He keeps sucking on his straw, careful not to use all of it at once, Charles’ hand casually laying on his thigh, reassuringly squeezing from time to time. 

“I’ve got another one”, he mumbles barely audible when Lando finishes his cup and Lando stares at him. “Really?” 

“Yeah. Makes things a bit easier, doesn’t it?” He winks at him before he hands him the new cup and Lando takes a deep breath, calmness settling through him - without Kimi’s help for once.

The next few weeks he keeps carrying his cup around with him and it makes his day way easier. Alex, George and Sache don’t question it, even making sure he keeps drinking and it’s oddly touching. 

They don’t question when he doesn’t come to school on sunny days - they really believe he goes camping with Charles and his family. It’s so easy to lie to them and Lando does feel bad but he knows there’s no other way and he falls next to Sacha in their Spanish class, yawning. 

Not that he’s tired but he adapted to playing human very quickly and being thrown into cold water - it helps. It helps that he has to learn it all in such a quick time and while it’s incredibly hard on some days he knows he could always leave. 

“So”, Sacha says quietly when Cyril starts talking in the front, “are Charles and you going to the Dance?” 

He completely forgot about the Dance. Again.

Lando freezes, chewing on his bottom lip while absentmindedly doodling in his notebook and he shrugs. “I don’t know? We haven’t talked about it. Are you going?”

“Yeah and I’d love to have you there.” Sacha gives him a soft smile. “It wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t come.” 

“I- I’m gonna ask Charles.” Lando gives him a tentative smile back and Sacha nods, clearly satisfied. “Did you have your vitamin-thingy yet?” 

“Yeah, one for breakfast and I’ve got one for lunch with me.” Lando knows he would have blushed by Sacha’s concern if he still could and he feels the warmth come back, spreading through his veins. 

It easily overpowers the thirst and his self-control is getting better and better by day, especially around his friends. Seeing how they care about him, accept him- Lando knows he’s incredibly lucky. 

He had to leave two times during lunch, everything becoming too much but Charles has been there for him, gently leading him outside and making sure he’s okay. George, Alex and Sacha didn’t question it at all, just asking him later that night on Discord if he’s okay and Lando has nearly started crying at their concern, too overwhelmed with his emotions. 

He’s still thinking about the Dance thing when he’s going home with Charles that night and he gives the others a small smile when they enter through the front door. 

“How many people did you kill today?”, Max asks him with a grin on his face, he’s sitting on the windowsill and while Seb snorts, Lando rolls his eyes. 

“None, you _dick_.” He tries pushing Max from the windowsill but Max is too fast for him, dodging him while laughing loudly and escaping to the stairs. “I’m just asking.” 

“Very funny”, Lando mutters before he gives Charles a hesitant look. “I need to talk to you about something.” 

The mood shifts a bit, he can feel Nico’s worried look on him but Charles just nods and they disappear up into his - or rather now their - room, Charles flopping down on the bed. 

“What’s going on?” 

“So I talked with Sacha today...” Lando chews on his bottom lip, not sure how to bring it up and he’s glad Charles lets him talk. “Do you want to go to the Dance? With me?” 

He looks at him sheepishly and Charles looks genuinely speechless. 

“You never fail to surprise me.” He grins and Lando swallows dryly. “Like I get if you don’t want to go and I’m really bad at dancing but I was just thinking-“

One second later Charles is in front of him, kissing him gently while pushing him against the wall, his thumb running over his cheek. 

“I’d love to go with you”, he mumbles and Lando’s face breaks into a smile. “Really??”

“Mhm. The others are going as well and at least _somebody_ there has to have some style.” He winks at him, a cheeky grin on his face and Lando rolls his eyes before he starts laughing. “True, that’s why Kimi is going.” 

“You dick!” Charles looks at him offended but he’s grinning and Lando laughs even more before he pulls Charles into another kiss - he has to admit he’s genuinely excited.

The Dance is at the end of term and Lando is nervous when he gets out of the red Ferrari, adjusting his tie a little. He’s not really worried about killing anyone (he did bring his cup just in case) but more about the dancing part. 

He’s a horrible dancer, he never learned it properly and he’s really glad he has Charles with him. That doesn’t mean he isn’t excited though and Charles slips an arm around his waist, casually pulling him closer when they reach the crowd - he looks like a fucking Armani model and Lando knows everyone is staring at them. Mostly at Charles but he can’t really blame them - he does too. 

He doubts he’ll ever get over how beautiful he is. Not that he would tell him that. 

“Everyone is staring at us again”, he mumbles while they’re entering the gym - of course it’s in the gym, they’re in _Brampton_ \- and Charles smirks. “Good, as they should.” 

Lando spots Max and Dan on the dance floor, they’re already dancing and while he never thought Max would be someone for dancing- he’s _good_. Of course he is, they both look good, the same goes for Seb and Kimi who are dancing as well, a bit slower than their brothers and Charles smirks. 

“Are you thirsty? Do want something to drink?” 

“Charles!”

“I meant punch!” They stare at each for a moment before Lando starts giggling nervously and Charles grins, kissing him softly. “You are the cutest. Come on.” 

He leads him on the crowded dance floor, putting a hand around his waist and pulling him closer. “And stop worrying about your non-existing dance abilities because I can dance.” 

He winks at him and Lando nearly rolls his eyes at that - of course he can dance, he’s not even surprised - when they start moving, slowly at first. Charles leads and Lando relaxes more and more, his arms around Charles’ neck. 

Max winks at him when they pass them, Dan holding him way closer than what is appropriate for an ordinary School Dance and Lando smiles, resting his head against Charles’ shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent. 

They dance for quite a bit, Lando letting Charles whirl them around and he can’t stop smiling, exchanging small kisses from time to time. He feels so _normal_ , so alive and when Charles leads him to the side so they can actually have some punch and take pictures, he drops on his lap, kissing him again. 

“Thank you for agreeing to this”, he mumbles. “I’m sure this must be kinda lame with this being you’re 50th prom and all.” 

“It’s my first one with you, though”, Charles points out, a soft smile on his lips. “And 50th?! I haven’t been to 50 proms, I’m not _that_ old!” 

Lando just giggles, taking a selfie of them and he grins when he sees Sacha, Alex and George come towards them. 

“You look good”, he comments and George grins. “I know, mate, thank you. Same goes for you two.” 

His eyes wander over Lando’s black suit and Charles’ dark blue Armani one - of course he took the opportunity to show off. 

Lando can’t stop staring at him either though and they take a few more pictures together, laughing and bantering and Lando catches himself actually having a good time. 

Seb and Kimi join them a bit later, Kimi being a bit more reluctant but Seb looks happy, dancing with Sacha before they take pictures together and Lando is just glad to see that they all somehow get along. George kisses Alex on the dancefloor, they’re incredibly cute together and Lando and Sacha watch them amused, Charles talking with Kimi and Seb a bit on the side.

“Who would’ve thought at the beginning of the year that you would crack Charles Leclerc and these two would end up together?” Sacha shakes his head amused and Lando smiles, hesitating for a moment before he puts his arm around his friend. He feels in control and when Sacha leans into him, giving him a soft smile, he relaxes. 

They’ve always been affectionate and he knows Charles doesn’t mind - he knows it’s important to him. 

After midnight, when the first ones are driving home or are getting picked up by their parents, they sit outside in the night, the full moon shining over them and Charles has his arms around Lando, kissing him softly. 

“You like it?”

“I do, it’s so romantic.” Lando smiles and Charles laughs. “It is.” 

“I’m just happy I’m here with you - you make it special.”

“I’ll be with you from dusk till dawn, baby” Charles gives him a soft smile and Lando wants to actually call him out for how cheesy that sounded but then Charles kisses him, softly, and so gently as if he’d break and Lando feels like he’s melting. 

It’s a perfect night and even though Lando knows he’ll have many more proms ahead of him, many more years with school and uni - this one will forever be special, with his boyfriend and his friends around him.

The following weeks after prom Seb and Kimi move to London for studying, having applied for their universities there - they’re still gonna stay in Brampton most of the time but the distance isn’t really a problem. 

Max and Dan went to London as well but they spend even more time in the house in Brampton than the other two - and that’s mostly because Lando and Max became actually really good friends.

Something Lando definitely wouldn’t have bet on a year ago. 

He didn’t hear much from Carlos, only saw him once when he visited Jenson and Carlos had picked up his own father, glaring at him and Lando- it’s a bit sad. 

Carlos and he have always been friends when he was in Brampton and just because he’s a vampire now? It’s ridiculous and a little bit discriminating. Carlos stinks like a wet dog most of the time and do you hear Lando complain?

No. Well, he did once. To Max. Speaking of Max: he might have lost a friend with Carlos but he definitely gained one in Max. 

“You dick!” Lando stares at the screen, Max just scored another goal in FIFA and he narrows his eyes. “How?!” 

“I’m just too good.” Max shrugs, smirking when Lando throws one of the pillows from the bed at him, easily dodging it. “And you’re really bad.” 

“Yeah but that’s not normal, how many hours did you spend with that game?” Lando raises his eyebrows and Max grins. “Since the first PlayStation came out.”

Lando stares at him, actually speechless (he sometimes forgets how old they all are) and Max bites his lip, leaning back and stretching a little on the floor. “I’ve always loved video games and was fascinated by them. Seeing it all develop was really cool. And I love Star Trek and space in general! Like, I saw the first Star Trek episode in 1966 and loved it immediately - I wanna be the first vampire in space.” 

He looks a little embarrassed and Lando smiles, nudging him with his elbow. “We all need a hobby, don’t we?” 

“Yeah I mean Dan collects old vinyl records and CD’s and Charles- don’t get me started on Charles.” Max shakes his head, eyes fixed on the wall where there’s somewhere Charles’ huge closet and Lando laughs.

“Seb and Kimi both love working on our cars - I do too.” Max runs his hand through his hair, he’s not wearing a cap for once and Lando leans against him, Max immediately wrapping his arms around him. 

Their relationship has _definitely_ improved - Lando can’t believe he was scared of Max once - and Max is actually quite protective over him now. They’ve never talked it out though and Lando shifts a little, crossing his legs.

“Can I ask you something?”, he starts, looking out of the window into the rainy forest - Charles is in London with Dan, shopping and he can feel Max shift behind him a little. “Yeah, of course.”

“You hated me when I was still human - or ... ignored me. But since I’m like you- since I got turned- what exactly changed?” Lando nearly doesn’t dare to ask but if he learned one thing in the last few months then that Max is honest. And incredibly blunt.

“I never hated you”, Max starts slowly and when Lando turns his head, he’s also staring out of the window, apparently lost in his thoughts. “I really didn’t. In the beginning, I was mad - mad that Charles would be so stupid and put our family at risk. I didn’t trust you.” 

That sounds...reasonable and to be fair, Lando can’t blame him. 

“And then I - involuntarily - got to know you and I realised you’re actually really nice and fun.” Max snorts, shaking his head. “But I told you, I was jealous - I couldn’t believe you would give all of this up for Charles.”

Lando bites his lip, he knows he needs to let Max talk now - he can still ask questions later. 

“But- I like you, Lando.” Max sighs. “And I know how happy you make Charles. So when that whole Christian thing started- you were already family back then.”

Lando holds back an ‘Aww’ and Max hugs him a bit more from behind. 

“And to be honest, it wasn’t your fault that you got turned and I’m just glad you’re alive somehow. Because I know Charles wouldn’t have survived to lose you and I- I’m not sure how I would have coped with losing you.”

Lando stares at him, actually speechless and Max sighs again. 

“I care about Charles and I care about you, you’re both my brothers even though you’re both idiots most of the time.” 

“Awww, thanks, Max.” Lando snorts but he can’t hold back the grin that’s spreading over his face and he presses a quick kiss on his cheek. “You really know how to make someone feel good.”

“Fuck you too, Lando.” Max flips him off and Lando laughs, freeing himself from his grip and getting back the controller. “I’m gonna make it my goal to beat you in FIFA.”

“I don’t think eternity is enough time for that”, Max mumbles and Lando glares at him, considering shoving him out of the window but then Max laughs, getting up. “Come on, I still have to go hunting with you.”

“I can also go alone”, Lando grumbles while he lets himself get pulled up by him but Max just grins. “Nah, you’re still a baby and I’m not letting you go alone - also, Lewis and Charles would literally kill me.”

“Is that my problem?” Lando gives him a challenging look but he’s grinning as well and he screams when Max just pushes him out of the window. For god’s sake, one would think that having vampire senses would help him but Max is just too quick and he easily lands on his feet, glaring at him. 

“You’re a dick”, he grumbles and Max laughs, slinging an arm around his shoulder while they walk towards the forest. “Come on, little brother, let’s find you something to eat.” 

“I’m not your little-“ 

“Mate, you’re younger than me - in human and in vampire years”, Max interrupts him dryly before he starts running, Lando following him. “And I never had a little brother.” 

“Pfff”, Lando mumbles, jumping over the river after Max and rolls his eyes when Max does it with a somersault. “Show-off.”

He’s comfortable with jumping but doing tricks like that- let’s just say the last time he tried it with Charles, he ended up in the river. 

“Have you ever- you know. Hunted humans?”, Lando asks while he joins Max on a tree branch and Max hesitates. “I’ve killed humans but I’ve never really hunted them - Lewis would’ve kicked my arse.” 

He smirks before he runs a hand through his hair. 

“But there was this one guy in the 80s...I think his name was Valtteri or something like that. Insulted Dan at uni, told me I could do better than him.” 

Lando swallows dryly and Max’ smile turns cold.

“Dan and I hunted him together but that was the only time. Don’t tell the others even though I’m sure Charles knows.” 

“I won’t”, Lando promised and Max gives him a crooked grin. “And I don’t want you to think I’m some psycho who kills people just for insulting my boyfriend but ... he was really harassing me. And didn’t leave me alone.” 

“Jesus that guy sounds like a proper dick”, Lando mumbles, “I’m not judging, don’t worry.” 

He’s not sure if he could ever kill someone but that-

“I talked with Dan about it and the guy just kept going so we decided to do something about it.” Max shrugs before he smirks. “Anyway. Thirsty?” 

“Mhm.” Lando takes a deep breath, focusing on the heartbeats in the distance and the scent of deer his sensitive nose picks up. He follows Max’ lead and they hunt three deers, Lando actually being quite proud he doesn’t make that much of a mess anymore. 

Max didn’t spill a single drop and Lando clears his throat, trying not to stare too much at him. Watching the others hunt is both fascinating and a little terrifying - and hot when he goes with Charles. 

Especially Dan reminds Lando more of a big cat than a vampire and they make their way back to the house, talking about their boyfriends and just when Lando wants to ask him if he’s up for a movie later that night, Max makes a noise of disgust. 

Lando frowns, he smells it too now and he freezes when he sees Carlos stand by a few trees a hundred meters away - not crossing the line to their territory this time. 

They just stare at each other and Lando’s throat tightens a little. There’s an unreadable expression in Carlos’ face, his eyes hardening when Max protectively puts an arm around Lando and Lando takes a deep breath. 

“It’s okay, Max”, he mumbles, gently untangling himself. He takes a step forward but then Carlos turns around, disappearing into the woods - Lando saw a flash of pain in his eyes and he sighs. 

“Carlos!” 

He doesn’t get an answer. 

“Come on, mate, he’s no worth it.” Max puts his arm back around his shoulder, gently leading him back to the house. “He won’t understand.” 

“I know.” Lando sighs, running a hand through his hair and he pushes all thoughts of Carlos to the back of his head, smiling when he sees that Charles is back. 

Some things are meant to be and others are not. And that’s okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honest to god I can't believe we're nearly at the end?? 
> 
> where did the time go jfc 
> 
> I'm gonna post the epilogue on Monday after my Spanish exam - until then stay safe and all the love 💛💛💛💛


	19. Chapter 19

**EPILOGUE - SEPTEMBER 2022**

“I am so nervous I think I’m gonna die”, Lando mumbles and Dan grins. “Good thing you’re already dead then, innit?” 

“It’s not _funny_ , Dan!” Lando glares at his older brother, running his hand through his hair to somehow fix it and Max grins. “I think it was.” 

“Shut up, Max”, Lando grumbles and Charles smirks. “It’s just uni, _mon amour_ \- every idiot goes to uni these days.” 

“That sounds pretentious, Charles.” Lando grins and Charles laughs. “Sorry.” 

_’All good.'_ Charles’ smile widens when he hears the thought and Lando winks at him before he looks back at the tall glass building in front of him. 

The last year has been full of ups and downs but he somehow managed to kill no one and somewhere halfway through he realised that he can pull the ‘shield’, or whatever it is that protects his mind from Charles, away from his mind, letting him in. Showing him a bit of his mind. 

It’s quite exhausting but they practised it a bit and Lando actually really likes letting him in on his mind - or rather the few selected thoughts he shows him. For most of the time though Charles can’t read his mind and Lando prefers it that way. 

Today is his first day of university in London and he’s incredibly nervous. He graduated a few months ago and decided to go to Birkbeck University - the only university in London that offers solely evening and night classes (“You don’t have to attend every lecture you know”, Max has said when he heard about his decision. “Most of the lecutures are online anyway.”). 

Charles decided to join him (“I’ve never studied there anyway!”) while Max goes to King’s since last year, getting some degree in Electronic Engineering while Dan chose UCL for Law (“It sounds interesting, I don’t know, mate.”). 

Seb and Kimi are in London as well, going to Queen Mary and Greenwich, both doing something with Engineering as well and Dan pushes him gently. “Come on, you just have to go in.” 

“You say that like it’s so easy”, Lando mumbles and he flashes Seb and Kimi who just showed up next to them a quick smile. “Hi.”

“Is something wrong with the building or why are you still standing here?” Seb frowns and Lando sheepishly scratches the back of his neck. “Eh...I’m scared. Thanks, Kimi.” 

He takes a deep breath when he feels himself getting calmer and Kimi gives him a rare smile, putting an arm around Seb. “It’s just uni.” 

“Yeah, Charles said that too.” Lando sighs and he slings his backpack slighter over his shoulder. “What if they hate me?” 

“Hate them back.”

“Max!”

“What?!” Max raises his hands exasperated, glaring at Charles. “If you care about what other people think about you, you already lost - why would you care about the opinion of a few unimportant humans anyway?!” 

“Yeah, scream it even louder, I’m sure the people in Southwark didn’t hear you yet”, Kimi comments dryly and Charles grins. “Why are you all here anyway?” 

Students are passing them, not sparing them a second glance and Seb grins, putting an arm around Lando’s shoulder. “He’s our little brother, do you really think we would miss his first day of uni?!” 

“It’s just uni”, Lando mumbles, a little embarrassed and Dan grins broadly. “Ha, you said it!”

“Fuck you, too, Dan.” Lando flips him off but he feels a bit better and Charles takes his hand. “Come on, let’s go.” 

He pulls him forward and Lando waves at the other four one more time before he hesitantly steps into the huge building. 

Charles and he took different degrees, his boyfriend choosing Criminology while Lando settled for Spanish Studies - not that he’ll ever work anyway so he took something that interested him. 

Fernando had been over the moon and Lando suddenly misses Sacha but his friends went to universities all over the UK with George being in Oxford, Sacha in Nottingham and Alex in Manchester. Their WhatsApp group is still existing though - and they still talk on Discord nearly every second night. 

They help Lando to stay a bit grounded, to not lose touch with reality when all the vampire stuff gets a bit too much and Charles winks at him one more time before he disappears into the other direction and Lando slips into his lecture hall. 

He can do this. It's just uni. 

His self-control has gotten incredibly good and while his throat is still burning, he ignores it. And the others said they’d take him hunting tomorrow night so he’s fine.

He somehow makes it through the introduction seminar and when he meets up with Charles after their classes, close to midnight, he has a huge grin on his face. 

“Okay that was so cool!”, he declares when Charles pulls him into a long kiss, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “Really, it’s so chill?? No one cares what I do and they are all actually really _nice_?!”

“I told you”, Charles says amused while they’re walking through the busy hallways. “No one gives a shit.”

“It was really cool and my lecturer-“ Lando stops dead in his tracks when a familiar scent hits his nose and he slowly turns to Charles. “What are my Dads doing here?!” 

They’re close to the open entrance, the wind carrying in the warm smell of Jenson and his Papá and Charles gives him a crooked grin. “They wanted to surprised you - your first day of uni and all. They’re really proud.”

“Oh my god”, Lando mumbles, he caught Lewis’ and Nico’s familiar scent as well and he bites his bottom lip sheepishly. “But _why_ , I thought Papá is in Australia-“ 

“Came to surprise you but don’t spoil it for him.” Charles winks at him and Lando groans, not able to hide the warm feeling that’s spreading through him though.

His relationship with Jenson stayed good during his last school year in Brampton and Fernando- well he hasn’t seen his Papá for nearly two years now and he has to admit he’s excited. 

“They’re staying in London?”, he makes sure and Charles nods. “Your Dad is going back home tomorrow, he has to work but Fernando stays till the end of the week before he goes back to Australia.” 

“Okay.” A small smile appears on Lando’s face and they walk out of the university building, Lando’s smile growing into a bigger one when he sees his two Dads next to Lewis and Nico - he doesn’t need to act, he’s genuinely happy to see them here. 

“Dad, Papá! What are you doing here?!” He jumps down the stairs, careful to stick to human speed and he pulls them into a tight hug, always keeping his strength in the back of his mind. The last thing he wants is to hurt them. 

“Lando, _cariño_!” Fernando presses a kiss on his cheek before he looks him over, a broad smile on his face. “Just look at you! All grown up, going to uni!” 

“Yeah.” Lando grins sheepishly before he hugs Lewis and Nico as well, relaxing momentarily when he feels Lewis’ comforting smile on him and he clears his throat, fixing his hair. 

“And you came so late”, he comments and Jenson shrugs, putting an arm around his shoulder. “You’re our only child and it’s your first day of uni - of course we came.”

“And I see you already met Charles’ parents”, Lando comments, grinning and Fernando nods while Nico smiles. “It was a really nice surprise.” 

“Well”, Lando collects his courage and pulls Charles a bit forward who looks incredibly shy suddenly, “this is Charles. My boyfriend.” 

“Hello”, Charles mumbles, offering Fernando his hand and Fernando’s smile widens. “Charles, it’s so nice to finally meet you!” 

“Same for me, Lando talks a lot about you”, Charles replies and Lando holds back a grin when he sees Nico’s satisfied smile, apparently pleased with his son’s manners. 

“It must be exciting for you as well today, right?”, Fernando asks while they start walking (Jenson mumbled something about ‘dinner’) and Charles nods, still a bit insecure. 

“Yeah but I mean, I’ve got my Dads with me too and my brothers told me a lot about uni and all so it’s okay.” He bites his lips and Lando nearly rolls his eyes, grinning. “He has four older brothers Papá, they’re all at uni already. He kinda knew what to expect.” 

“ _Madre mía_ , four older brothers? So you’re the baby of the family!” Fernando grins and while Charles blinks confused Lewis laughs. “He is and we’re really proud of him.” He puts his arm around Charles’ shoulder and Lando smiles. 

It feels oddly normal and he exchanges a quick smile with Jenson when his Papá starts bombarding Charles with questions - maybe he should feel sorry for him but it’s mostly adorable to see Charles, who’s normally so self-confident, stumble over his words. 

“Your other four sons are doing alright at university?”, Jenson asks while they’re strolling through the streets (Do they have a destination? Does any restaurant still serve food this late?), Lewis and Nico holding hands while Fernando and Charles are one step behind them. 

“Yes, they’re really enjoying what they’re doing. We got very lucky with them - and that they chose wisely.” Nico flashes Jenson a warm smile and Jenson nods, blushing a bit. “Yes, absolutely. And we are really lucky you and your husband decided to stay in Brampton.” 

“Of course”. Lewis gives him a charming smile. “I have patients who rely on me, I couldn’t just abandon them. And besides, we really enjoy the countryside. London is nice but Brampton is quite...peaceful.” 

He smirks, exchanging a quick look with Nico and Lando holds back a grin, leaning against his Dad who missed the look, just nodding. “We’re really grateful.” 

They reach a restaurant in Soho, it’s crowded and Lando tenses a little, Charles’ hand on his back and Fernando throws him a worried look when they’re being lead to their table. 

“Are you okay, _cariño_?” 

Shit. Lando forgot that his Papá is actually way more observant than Jenson and he nods, sliding on a chair between Charles and his Dad. 

“Yeah just. Don’t like crowds”, he mumbles, playing with his napkin. “Social anxiety and all.” Fernando nods understandingly and Charles puts his hand reassuringly on his thigh below the table. 

“Lando told us you want to pay for their shared flat”, Jenson starts, turning to Lewis and Nico and he looks a bit uncomfortable. “You really don’t have to-“ 

“It’s alright, really”, Lewis interrupts him with a warm smile. “It’s no bother for us, at all.” 

“Yeah but it’s a lot of money”, Fernando points out and Lando hides his grin behind his glass, taking a sip from the coke they ordered. 

Lewis and Nico are paying for his degree as well (and, given, they _did_ have a two-hour discussion about this until Lando realised that it’s pointless. Nico can be really stubborn when he wants to be) and the flat Charles and he live in since two days is nothing compared to that. 

“We know but Lando has such a positive impact on our son”, Nico says, his voice soft and he gives Charles a short smile while Lewis nods. “And we love Lando like our own son.” 

Lando is pretty sure he would have blushed if he was still human and he clears his throat, giggling embarrassed. “Yeah, I mean. I have four Dads now apparently.” 

“Huh”, Fernando mumbles while Jenson sighs. “If you’re completely sure about this, then please, go ahead.” He seems to know that arguing with them is just as pointless and Charles presses a soft kiss on Lando’s cheek. 

They have dinner and Lando relaxes more and more when he realises that it isn’t as awkward as he feared it would be. His two Dads get along, the tension is bearable and Lewis and Nico do their best to appear human. 

“I picked up gardening”, Nico says when they’re at dessert (Lando has never eaten so much human food since he got turned but it wasn’t that bad and he got really excited when he tasted a tiny bit of chicken - maybe the more he eats of it the more he acquires his taste back? He shared that thought with Charles and that’s definitely something they have to discuss later) and while Jenson and Lewis exchange an amused look, Fernando’s eyes light up. “What did you plant?” 

They keep chatting, Nico telling Fernando about the flower patches he has planned (including a vegetable garden) and Lando leans against Charles, cuddling into his side. 

He can still listen to every conversation going on at every table in the room but focusing on Nico’s and his Papá’s voice helps him to drown out the others and he rather focuses on the scent of the leftover chicken in the kitchen than the blood. 

It’s still hard, still a battle every day but he’s okay, especially with Charles’ arm around his waist. His strength is getting less and less (he did lose against Dan at arm wrestling a few days ago and he’s still a bit salty about that) but he doesn’t mind that much. 

They leave around 1.30 am, Fernando making him promise that they go for breakfast in the morning before he leaves for his hotel - Lando tries to ignore the look in his Dad’s eyes when he watches him leave. He’s not over him and it breaks his heart, just wishing they both could somehow be happy. 

“Take care.” Jenson turns towards him, pulling Lando into a tight hug. “London is a big city full of dangerous people and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Somehow Lando doubts anyone is more dangerous than him and his family but he nods dutifully, patting his Dad’s back. 

“I promise.” 

“Good. Lewis, Nico, it was nice seeing you again. Charles, good luck for university.” Jenson hugs Charles as well, Charles clearly overwhelmed with the gesture and Lando holds back a smile. Jenson disappears towards the underground and Lando closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. 

London has a very ... unique smell, a mixture of cars, trash, so many humans and something Lando never can quite place. And obviously the smell of the Thames that seems to be omnipresent. 

“Your Dads are nice”, Nico comments when they keep walking and Lando snorts. “A bit embarrassing but yeah, they are.” He smiles and Lewis laughs while he takes Nico’s hand again. 

“I guess that’s part of being a Dad.” He winks at Charles who just groans. “Yeah, and one would think being immortal would help you to understand memes but you don’t! You always use them in the wrong context, stop sending me them!”

“Never.” Lewis grins and Lando laughs, leaning against Charles. They’re in no hurry and he loves London at night even more than during the day. 

“I got a call from the FIA by the way”, Lewis says suddenly, “it’s all sorted.” 

“Yeah?” Lando stares at him and Lewis nods. “Yep. David made sure of that.” 

“Bless”, Nico mumbles before he stops in front of a tall building - they reached their flat. “See you in a few days at home I guess?” 

“Mhm.” Charles grins and Nico pulls both of them into another hug before they disappear inside and Lando grins. “I love them.” 

“Good, because they love you too.” Charles laughs, sliding his hand into Lando’s. “They weren’t joking when they said you’re like a son to them.” 

“I know. Still feels a bit weird.” Lando shrugs, staring at the water of the Thames that’s shining under the full moon. “I never asked - why did you all keep your last name? Why did you never adapt the Hamilton one? Or Rosberg?” 

“It’s the last bit of identity we have left of our human life”, Charles says quietly. “And while for some of us it’s painful, it’s also a way of remembering who we were.”

Lando pulls him a bit closer and Charles‘ smile turns a bit melancholic. 

“I mean, Max sometimes goes by Ricciardo or Hamilton-Rosberg - he did that while we went back to Amsterdam for a few years in the 70s and then around 2000 in Iceland - and I choose Hamilton once but I just- it’s a way of reminding me that I had a family before this as well.” 

Charles sighs and Lando presses a kiss against his cheek. 

“I like Leclerc”, he mumbles. “Sounds a bit like LeChair but it’s nice.” 

“You dick.” Charles starts laughing and Lando wants to counter something when another scent hits him and he freezes. 

It’s not human - rather another vampire - or two? - and they don’t belong to any one of his family. Charles still looks relaxed though, a huge smile spreading over his face and Lando turns around, frowning when he sees two figures coming closer. 

One of them is a young woman with long dark brown hair, very long legs, golden eyes (Lando relaxes a little) and she’s absolutely breathtaking. 

Lando is pretty sure he has never seen a more beautiful woman and he might be gay but even he sees that she’s gorgeous. 

Next to her is a young man, dark blonde hair, with a beard stubble on his chin and his eyes are just as golden. He’s cute, his smile bright and if Lando didn’t know better he’d say he has never seen a more beautiful couple. 

“Pierre!” Charles jumps up, hugging the man tightly and Lando follows him a bit closer, Pierre laughing. “Charles, so nice to run into you!” 

He has a French accent as well and Charles’ looks genuinely happy to see him. 

“Lando, that is Pierre, my friend from Romain’s clan”, he waves at Pierre and Lando gives him a shy smile, “and Cate, his girlfriend.” 

“Hey, Lando.” Cate gives him a warm smile, pulling him into a short hug and Lando blinks surprised, tentatively hugging her back. 

“So nice to finally meet you!” Pierre grins, running a hand through his hair and Cate nods. “We only got bits and pieces from Charles and what we heard from Romain and Jev. Oh and Hulk and Kevin, of course.”

She has a faint Italian accent and Lando remembers that Charles mentioned Romain’s clan before - he hasn’t met them yet though but it’s definitely planned. 

“I’m happy to finally meet you too”, Lando says, smiling and Charles runs a hand through his hair. “What are you doing here?” 

“We got a bit bored in the North so we decided to go back to uni.” Pierre laughs, he’s really cute and Cate nods. “We decided we’re doing Birkbeck this time.” 

“No way, you’re also going there? We too!” Lando stares at them and Cate’s smile widens - she has dimples as well and Lando slowly starts to believe it’s a vampire thing. “Pierre is doing Spanish Studies and I took Criminology.” 

Charles starts laughing and Lando grins. “I’m also doing Spanish Studies and Charles has Criminology.”

“Mate! Why didn’t you say something, I skipped the introduction today because I knew what’s it’s like but oh my god.” Pierre shakes his head amused and he offers Lando a soft smile. “I’m gonna give you my number, we can go together.” 

“So I have to deal with you for three years?” Charles grins at Cate and she narrows her eyes, taking a step forward but there’s a grin on her face. “Careful Leclerc or you’re going diving in the Thames again.” 

“ _Again?!_ ” Lando stares from her to Charles and while Charles just pulls a face of disgust Pierre starts laughing. “Yeah. Criticised her outfit choices so he kinda deserved it.”

“Speaking of your outfit...” Charles' eyes wander over Cate’s white blouse, the high-waist skinny jeans and the high heels - she looks like she’s on her way to a fashion shooting and she raises her eyebrows. “Careful what you say now, the river is right there.” 

“Don’t worry, you look good.” Charles winks at her and Lando rolls his eyes, leaning against him. “Stop flirting with other people.” 

“I would never-“ 

“Of course not”, Cate muses and Lando grins. It’s oddly comforting to meet other vampires their age who live just like they do and it’s incredibly comforting knowing he has Pierre with him. 

They go their own ways pretty soon after, Pierre and Cate still have to go hunting and Lando and Charles make their way back to their flat in Kensington. It’s beautiful, quite big and the most important thing: they live alone. 

The second they’re inside Charles pushes him against the wall, kissing him forcefully and Lando moans, letting himself be manhandled. 

“Fuck, I missed this”, Charles mumbles and Lando laughs, getting rid of his shirt and groaning when he accidentally rips a few buttons - he sometimes forgets how strong he is. Thankfully never around soft humans but rather his clothes or doors (much to Dan’s and Max's amusement) and Charles grins. 

“Always so eager.”

“Shut up.” Lando shoves him and not one second later he’s thrown onto the bed, Charles over him. 

“You know I really love that you’re not that breakable anymore”, Charles mumbles pinning him down and a shiver runs down Lando’s spine. 

“Yeah?”, he manages to breathe out and Charles smirks. “Absolutely.” 

He kisses him, a bit slower than before but just as passionately, his tongue exploring his mouth and Lando hooks his legs around his waist, pulling him closer. 

Charles chuckles lowly, his grip tightening a little on his wrists and Lando gives him an innocent smile. He takes a deep breath, enjoying the fact that he can taste Charles, instinctively baring his neck a little and Charles kisses him. 

“You’re so beautiful”, he mumbles when he pulls back, his eyes have a dark topaz colour tonight and Lando involuntarily has shivers running down his spine. 

“So are you”, he whispers back, voice hoarse - he doubts he will ever get over how beautiful Charles is. Charles kisses him softly, his teeth nipping on his lip, biting but not drawing blood just yet and Lando moans again. 

“You think the neighbours are already sick of us?”, he mumbles while Charles’ hands start exploring his body, trailing over his lower body and Charles snorts. “Don’t care, Lewis owns the building.” 

He places small kisses on his stomach and Lando whines, pushing his hips up. “Charles, for fuck’s sake, stop the teasing, I don’t give a fuck how much time we have, I- oh.” 

Lando stares at him with wide eyes, Charles’ hand on his throat and it’s not like he needs to breathe - he really doesn’t - but having Charles’ hand holding him down- he stares at him, arousal pooling in his stomach and Charles smirks. 

“As much as I love how impatient you are”, he murmurs, kissing his collarbone and biting without harming the skin, “and as much as I want to fuck you”, his other hand ghosts over his dick and Lando whines, “we have all the time in the world, _chéri_. And I think I really have to teach you some patience.” 

Lando stares at him, his mind needing a moment to catch up before he shakes his head frantically - he knows exactly what’s coming. “No, Charles, please, it was a long day-“ 

“Mhm, and the last time it was a long night and the time before it was another long day.” Charles smirks, his right hand pinching his nipples slightly and Lando moans. 

That fucker. 

Maybe he should be embarrassed by how easily turned on he is but it’s _Charles_ \- Charles, who looks like a young Greek god right now, teasing him mercilessly. Caressing every inch of his skin, kissing, licking and sucking and Lando throws his head back, staring at the ceiling. 

His brain, normally really good at multitasking and focusing on hundreds of different things at the same time, has already stopped working - he hears a few faint voices from outside but he doesn’t care enough to actually focus on them. 

They have to be a bit more careful anyway, they destroyed the bed the day they moved in and it had been a bit embarrassing to get a new one from IKEA immediately after. 

Sometimes it’s really a good thing they don’t need to sleep. 

Charles is still teasing but at least he inserted two fingers into his ass at this point, lazily fucking him and watching how Lando falls apart below him. 

“Can I bite you when I fuck you?”, he asks casually and Lando nearly comes at that, Charles quickly pressing down on the base of his hard cock, successfully stopping him from coming. 

“You arsehole”, Lando moans and Charles smirks. “I take that as a yes.” 

He keeps going, adding a few more fingers and Lando feels like he’s losing his mind. He feels warmer than ever before, heat pooling in his stomach and his cock leaking - Charles’ grip still effectively stopping his orgasm. 

Lando swallows dryly, trying to push his hips up but then Charles curls his fingers slightly and Lando screams into the pillows. 

Charles slides into him one swift motion and Lando whimpers, hand gripping the sheet. The whole room smells like sex and he closes his eyes, screaming when Charles bottoms out. “Fuck!” 

He reaches for Charles’ hips to hold him in place, moaning when he sets a fast and punishing pace and he’s sure he’ll never get enough of this. He still can’t believe he missed out on all of this and he whimpers when Charles hits his prostate, his hand back on his throat. 

“I can’t believe you’re all mine”, he murmurs and Lando moans loudly, not caring about their neighbours anymore. Every other noise, sound and scent are drowned out - his whole focus is on Charles. 

He bares his neck a little again, goosebumps forming on his arms and Charles leans forward, changing the angle a bit. His finger trails over his throat and Lando whimpers. 

He fucking loves that vampires can bite other vampires without any consequences (he might be a bit hungrier after that but that’s okay) and Charles licks over the artery. 

“You still smell so fucking good”, he murmurs before he bites down, sucking and that does it for Lando. Charles biting him, fucking him, his accent thick in his voice- he comes with a hoarse scream, spilling over his stomach and Charles jerks him off, playing with the tip of his dick until he spent his load completely. 

Lando stares at him with hazy eyes, his brains definitely fucked out and his hand finds its way into Charles’ hair, tightening a little. 

“You’re ruining me”, he mumbles and Charles moans, coming after two more hard thrusts and he bites into his collarbone to keep his shout in. 

“Fuck, you’ll be the death of me”, Charles mumbles when he slides out of him and Lando laughs, pulling him into his arms. “I’m already dead, remember?” 

And he doesn’t feel sore anymore which is definitely a bonus of being immortal. 

“Oh my god.” Charles shakes his head laughing before he hesitates. “You wanna watch the sunrise on The Shard?” 

“Isn’t it closed? It’s 4 am.” Lando frowns and Charles smirks. “I said ‘on’, not ‘in’. Come on.” 

He pulls him up and they clean themselves up quickly and get dressed, not taking longer than a minute (Lando really learned to appreciate the vampire speed) and they leave their apartment building. 

It’s still dark outside and the only people they meet are either drunk people going home from a party or people going to work and Lando keeps holding on to Charles’ hand, breathing in the cold air. 

It’s only when they’re standing in front of The Shard that he realises that they have to get up somehow but before he can ask, Charles grins. “Do you trust me?” 

“In theory?”

“Jump and then climb.” Charles pulls him into another quick kiss before he pushes himself off the ground and Lando stares after him for a second before he takes a deep breath.

Yes, he climbed mountains in the last year. And trees. And a house. But never a fucking skyscraper and he’s still a bit intimidated by heights much to Max’ amusement. 

He pushes himself up, staying close to the building and he doesn’t look down, knowing he’s easily twenty meters high already. 

He gets a hold on the glass front of the building and he starts climbing, not really needing much effort. His body doesn’t get tired and when he reaches the top Charles is already waiting for him with a huge grin. 

“Well done!” He kisses him and Lando falls next to him, letting his legs dangle from the edge. It’s windy up here and the view is simply breathtaking.

In front of them, stretched out, is London - thousands of lights sparkling in the night, the city slowly waking up and directly below them is Tower Bridge. 

Lando watches a small boat pass under it and Charles puts an arm around him, pulling him closer. They stay quiet, both just enjoying the view and Lando takes a deep breath, adrenaline rushing through his body. 

He feels like he’s on top of the world with Charles next to him and when he looks East he sees the first few signs of morning dawning on the horizon, the clouds a faint red, pink and orange.

His belly flutters, Charles kissing him softly before they continue watching the sunrise and Lando can’t stop smiling. 

He may be immortal but he knows he’ll never truly be alone; he has Max and Dan to always cheer him up and play video games with. 

He has Seb and Kimi to talk to, to go on adventures with and to cry with. 

He has Lewis and Nico, his two adoptive Dads who accepted him so easily and love him just the way he is. 

And he has Charles; the love of his life, the one who’ll always be with him - from dusk till dawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I am actually typing this and that this is actually the end oh my god 
> 
> Just... thank you all so much. Like I know I wrote this fic really fast in just about two weeks but seeing you all love it so much means the absolute world to me. I never thought a Twilight AU in the F1 fandom would get so much love and- I'm emotional 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, for leaving Kudos and for commenting - every hit, every kudo and every comment made me so goddamn happy, I definitely don't take this for granted and I don't have words to express how much your support means to me 💛
> 
> This blew up more than I thought it would and just. Thank you 💛 
> 
> I hope you liked the small epilogue and I'll see you all very soon 💛💛💛

**Author's Note:**

> you can follow me on tumblr @ [verstappened](https://verstappened.tumblr.com/)  
> to yell with me some more about twilight if you want lmao 💛 
> 
> Kudos and comments are very appreciated thanksss 💛


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